Page 18 - BIMT_Magazine_Final(Interective)

SOARING NEW
HEIGHTS IN AVIATION
Good air transport is ENHANCES
a link to attract unusual
contribution to hit growth COMPETITIVENESS
and competitiveness.
The very fact that the
aviation industry operates
as a catalyst with rapid Q. HOW DO YOU LOOK AT
growth indicates that as SRI LANKA’S AVIATION
INDUSTRY IN 2024?
a sector it represents an
ever-larger proportion of The year 2024 was a great
year for us as we were able to
national output. Aviation regain what we lost due to many
has become a necessity external and internal shocks Q. WHAT ARE THE KEY LEADERSHIP
for frequent travel be it for such as the global pandemic and
the economic crisis. Passenger
business or leisure. New and aircraft movements at BIA
companies have outgrown continued to grow in 2024. In
2018, the airport reached historic
theirs into wide competitive heights with 10.88 million
network carriers, therefore, passengers and 67,351 aircraft
it will be fascinating to movements. We were able to
handle 7.5 million passengers in
observe how the immediate 2023 and we were expecting the
and future advancements passenger numbers to increase
up to around 8.5 million in 2024.
in aviation are addressed We were able to record around 8.8
and tackled. Soaring newer million international passenger
heights in the aviation movements, over 56,000 aircraft
movements, and approximately
sector which would 195,000 metric tons of cargo
enhance competitiveness operations at Sri Lanka airports
in 2024. This marked a growth of
was discussed with 18% in international passenger
Dr Sumith De Silva, Head movements, 20% growth in
Marketing and Corporate international aircraft movements,
and 22% growth of cargo
Communications, Airport movements compared to 2023.
and Aviation Services In addition, Sri Lanka was
(Sri Lanka) (Private) able to achieve 2 million
Limited. international tourist arrivals in
2024 demonstrating a significant
43.49% increase in tourist arrivals
11 From Campus to Corporate Leadership l Aug/Sep 2025 l www.bimt.lk
compared to the same period in Getting away from the myopic
2023. Therefore, we expect view
a continuous robust growth of the As Theodore Levitt mentioned
tourism and aviation industry in
Sri Lanka in 2025. in the philosophy of marketing,
management must think of itself
not as producing products, but
as providing customer-creating
QUALITIES THAT YOU BELIEVE
ARE ESSENTIAL FOR DRIVING value satisfaction. I believe in
INNOVATION IN THE AVIATION this concept firmly and have
MARKETING SPACE AND
experienced many issues in many
CHALLENGES? industries and many organizations
the central core issue for many
failures has been the myopic
Among the many factors, I would view about the business they
like to highlight three major factors are engaged in. We should be
that I consider. able to propagate this ideology
at management discussions in
organizations and raise awareness
Visionary Thinking, See the among all the employees through
Big Picture
training and education on the
Whether it's aviation or any other definition our business, which
industry the ability to see the is not product or service-oriented.
big picture is a critical thing. We For example, in aviation, an airport
should not be looked at as a place
should be able to understand where aircraft arrive and go.
the true concept of marketing
and business philosophy and It should be more than that.
We should define our business as
develop our mindset attuned to connecting people to experience
customer orientation, satisfaction,
and delight. Therefore, the leader a destination for example. At our
should be able to see the big company too, we have redefined
our business philosophy in our
picture of the organization. Where vision and mission statements.
do we drive our organization
is the key factor here. The leader
needs to identify the vision of the
organization and stimulate the
people to work towards the vision.
From Campus to Corporate Leadership l Aug/Sep 2025 l www.bimt.lk 12