Sustainability at Thema Collection

23/09/2026

Vishud Jayathilake, Senior Naturalist cm Sustainability Coordinator at Wild Glamping Gal Oya by Thema Collection, will be joining REVIVE – Phase 02 organised by the Department of Tourism Management (Center for Excellence in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality) at SLTC as a panelist.

Catch him during the discussion on “Responsible Tourism in the Digital Age: Influencing Visitor Behavior Through Digital Technology,” as he shares perspectives from his experience in nature-based tourism.

𝐌𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐒.✨

𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗩𝗘 – 𝗣𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝟬𝟮 brings together four voices from tourism, conservation and the travel industry for an insightful panel discussion.

👤 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳. 𝗜𝗿𝗮𝗷 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗻𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗸𝗲
👤 𝗠𝘀. 𝗡𝗶𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗶 𝗔𝗯𝗲𝘆𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮
👤 𝗠𝗿. 𝗥𝗮𝘃𝗶 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗸𝗮
👤 𝗠𝗿. 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗵𝘂𝗱 𝗝𝗮𝘆𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗸𝗲

🎙️ 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲:
“Responsible Tourism in the Digital Age: Influencing Visitor Behavior Through Digital Technology”

𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴. 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 🌱

22/09/2026

For World Ozone Day and Clean Air Day, Maalu Maalu Resort & Spa by Thema Collection spent some time with the kids at our REV Computer Centre in Kalkudah, talking about air pollution, the ozone layer, and the simple things we can do to care for our environment.

The session also included the distribution of 18 Kumbuk saplings, giving the children a chance to take what they learnt a little further by planting and caring for a tree of their own.

Kusala Rathnayake

21/09/2026

Some recognitions stay with you a little longer. The 2026 ICRT Indian Subcontinent Responsible Tourism Awards gave us another reason to look back at the journey of Thema Collection; a journey that started with Maalu Maalu Resort & Spa, our first property, and grew alongside Sri Lanka’s tourism story.

From our early beginnings in Pasikudah, where Maalu Maalu Resort & Spa became the first boutique hotel on the East Coast to operate after the war, the collection continued to grow, bringing together properties with very different themes and connections to their surroundings.

In 2018, Ayurvie Weligama joined the journey, bringing together Ayurveda, wellness and the coastal landscape, while working on renewable energy, water conservation, local sourcing and biodiversity. It was recognised as One to Watch in Nature Positive Tourism.

A year later, Wild Glamping Gal Oya began taking shape on a 30-acre land in Rathugala, with the idea of creating something that belonged to the community rather than taking away from it. Today, it is a place where farming, nature, tourism and Rathugala Vedda culture meet; a story that earned it Gold for Regenerative Tourism.

In 2025, Amba Yaalu - Kandalama brought another idea to life: a hotel led entirely by women, creating opportunities for women across every part of hospitality. It received Gold for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Along the way, more properties joined the collection, each bringing its own story, landscape and approach. Today, Thema Collection has grown to 17 properties across Sri Lanka.

And that growth has also meant finding new ways to make hospitality more responsible, whether through protecting biodiversity, supporting local communities, empowering women, conserving resources, working with nature or reducing our environmental impact.

Read More: https://www.themacollection.com/blog/2026/09/09/bltm-icrt-indian-subcontinent-responsible-tourism-awards-2026/

20/09/2026

For World Ozone Day, the naturalists at Amba Yaalu - Kandalama by Thema Collection held an awareness session at Habarana National School, helping students understand the importance of the ozone layer, its environmental impact, and how young people can play a role in protecting our planet.

17/09/2026

Sustainability at Thema Collection takes many forms, and we’re always looking for practical ways to bring it into our everyday operations.

At Wild Glamping Knuckles, we have installed a new biogas facility that gives food waste a second purpose. The system can process up to 10 kg of food waste each day, turning it into biogas that can be used for cooking in the kitchen.

And there’s more! The process also produces liquid bio-slurry, a nutrient-rich natural fertiliser that gives plants some of the best nourishment they can get. 🌿

16/09/2026

What if you spent your next day chasing waterfalls, trekking through the hills, and stopping whenever the view was too beautiful to pass?

Mandaramnuwara has plenty of little moments waiting along the way. With our naturalists at Tea & Experience Factory by Thema Collection, you can set off on a tailored waterfall safari to Athiniwala, Kolapathana and Kalu Palama Waterfalls, with beautiful viewpoints to pause at along the way.

Maybe this is how your next day in Mandaramnuwara should look.

Visit: https://www.themacollection.com/tea-and-experience-factory/experiences/tailored-waterfall-discovery/

11/09/2026

You could keep wondering what it’s like. Or you could just come!

The Gal Oya boat safari is one of those experiences that’s genuinely hard to put into words. Swimming elephants in the water, an island with hundreds of birds, and stories from our naturalists that make the whole place click into place. Come see it for yourself with our naturalists at Wild Glamping Gal Oya by Thema Collection.

Visit: https://www.themacollection.com/wild-glamping-gal-oya/experiences/gal-oya-boat-safari/

08/09/2026

The Minneriya Elephant Gathering is coming to an end for another year, leaving behind a collection of moments!

This year, our naturalists had the privilege of observing elephants as they gathered, fed, rested and interacted with one another. It is during occasions like this that so much of their behaviour comes to life: the bond between mothers and calves, playful moments among the young, social interactions within herds, and the quiet ways elephants communicate with one another.

And while the Gathering may be over, the wilderness around Minneriya continues to offer incredible encounters. If you are staying at Aliya Resort & Spa, Ayurvie Sigiriya or Amba Yaalu - Kandalama by Thema Collection, you can explore the region through safari experiences in Minneriya, Kaudulla and Hurulu Eco Park, each offering a different window into Sri Lanka’s dry-zone wildlife.

Because every safari has a story to tell.

📸: Achintha De Zoysa