Dinushka Chandrasena

Dinushka Chandrasena

Dinushka Chandrasena

PERSONAL STATEMENT

Having a strong desire to use my Marketing background and writing skills to contribute to the Tourism industry in Sri Lanka I embarked on launching Sri Lanka’s first ever Travel Trade monthly publication titled “Travel Talk” in 2003. Over the past 15 years the publication has secured international media partnerships and official media status at the world’s leading Travel Trade forums.

The aim of launching Travel Talk was to provide the travel industry in Sri Lanka with a comprehensive news based magazine which highlights the rapidly changing landscape of tourism while promoting the country at the leading travel trade shows across the globe.

Securing International Media partnerships has enabled us to place Sri Lanka on the International Press stands at travel shows in UK, France, Germany, Spain, China, Thailand, Vietnam, India and the Middle East on an annual basis since 2009.

To date, Travel Talk is the ONLY travel trade magazine published in Sri Lanka and it continues to highlight the industry with positive endorsements from the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, The Convention Bureau, the Ceylon Hotels Associations, The Pacific Asia Travel Association and SKAL.

Under the Doubledee Publications umbrella we launched Mum&Me – Sri Lanka’s first dedicated parenting magazine in 2006 with the aim of providing mum’s and mum’s to be with responsible and informative feature articles from reputed sources. To date, the magazine is published bi-monthly with a readership of over 8000 and distributed free of charge to hospitals and a host of other locations.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Editor/ Publisher Travel Talk Asia – April 2003 to date

Editor Mum&Me – May 2006 – date

Editor Health Style & Fitness – March 2016 – date

Company Name – Doubledee Publications (www.traveltalkasia.com)

Responsibilities:

TRAVEL TALK ASIA

  • Collating news articles under the different categories of Airlines/ Hotels/ General Distribution systems, Agents and Destination Management companies.
  • Conducting interviews with top ranking government and private sector officials for the lead / cover story of the magazine (Travel Talk Asia)
  • Securing media partnerships with international travel trade organizations
  • Working with the design team to finalize lay out of the magazine and work closely with marketing and advertising to ensure we have a well-balanced magazine
  • Provide readers with comprehensive and news worthy articles which are of industry importance

MUM&ME

  • Liaise with doctors and professionals in the wellness industry for features and interviews
  • Work closely with a panel of writers for feature articles on women’s health as well as post natal and pre-pregnancy related subjects.
  • Coordinate photo shoots for photo features and select suitable candidates for covers
  • Edit the magazine and ensure the content is in line with what the magazine hopes to deliver to the readers
  • Work on visuals with the graphics team for a reader friendly format and colourful presentation.

HEALTH STYLE & FITNESS

  • Conducting interviews and working with the artistic director for cover features
  • Coordinating features articles with doctors/ nutritionists and fitness instructors
  • Collating information from advertorials for the magazine
  • Highlighting the myriad services and products available in the local market to our readers
  • Constantly researching for the newest and latest findings in the health and wellness arena
  • Attending / researching and writing about the various classes and courses available to those who are health conscious

Travel Contributor – January 2010-date

Company Name: Jetsetter USA

Responsibilities:

  • Travel and review the selected properties by the company
  • Conduct interviews and get information related to investment etc.,
  • Provide Jetsetter with a complete in-depth review of the selected property
  • Write an in-depth destination summary

Marketing/Media Communications – February 1996 – June 2001

Company Name – Alaska Airlines, Palm Springs, California, USA

Responsibilities:

  • Writing of press releases
  • Disseminating it to the distribution channels
  • Liaise with operations HO for information and stats

EDUCATION

Dip Marketing 1993-1995 (Dip, SLIM/ SLIDA)

Final Subjects: Business Law/ Accounts/ Economics

Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration / Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing

A-Levels, June 1990 – August 1993

English Literature/ Logic and Scientific Method/ Greek and Roman Civilization

Holy Family Convent, Colombo 4

Notable Achievements:

  • Head Prefect of Holy Family Convent 1992
  • Best All Island Debater – 1990/ 1991/ 1992
  • Head of the English Union – 1992
  • Selected from Sri Lanka for the Global Entrepreneur Summit 2016 – Stanford University, Silicon Valley, USA
  • Delegate from the Ministry of Commerce at the Commonwealth Business Forum in the UK – 2018

Organization Memberships:

  • Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce
  • SKAL Travel Professionals Organization:Executive Board Member 2016 to date
  • Member of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP)
  • VP of the NAWA (North American Women’s’ Association – a non-profit charity organization)

NON-RELATED REFEREES

Mr. Trevor Rajaratnam

CEO

Travel 7

Colombo 3

Telephone: 0777750786

E-mail : trevor@travel7lanka.com

Mrs. Rifa Musthapha

Chairperson

Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce

Colombo

Telephone: 0777397993

E-mail : wcicsl1@sltnet.lk