PIONEERING EFFORTS IN THE GLOBAL AIRLINE TRAVEL RETAIL INDUSTRY
Rakhita Jayawardena, CMgr FCMI, FCIM
President
Rakhita Jayawardena has been acclaimed worldwide as the pioneer of the Global Travel Retail industry. It was Mr Jayawardena who was responsible for creating and promoting new templates for inflight sales, which he formally termed the “PROFIT-ORIENTED PASSENGER SERVICE’’. Airlines globally, from the Americas to Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific have embraced his pioneering concepts to successfully develop and implement qualitative and revenue-enhancing inflight sales programmes.
Today he is widely referred to as the “Founding Father of Inflight Duty Free Sales”. Mr Jayawardena has over 35 years of experience and exposure in the Global Travel Retail industry working in a Senior/ Board Level capacity as a Director/CEO, President/CEO and General Manager, associated with over 55 International Airlines. These include the large Legacy Carriers, Charters & Low-Cost Airlines, across The Americas to Europe, Asia Pacific & Africa, having been based in New York (USA), London (UK), Hong Kong & Sri Lanka.
The Travel Retail Industry has in acknowledgement of his pioneering efforts and statesman status bestowed upon him a large number of awards and recognitions. He has been invited frequently to share his visionary ideas and achievements at many industry conferences and forums. Furthermore, the industry elected him as the Chairman of the Asia Pacific Onboard Travel (APOT) and also as the founding President of the Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA), which represents an industry of over US$30 billion presently.
Rakhita Jayawardena was presented with the Award for Humanity, Leadership and Inspiration – Asia Pacific 2021 by The Moodie Davitt Report in recognition of his efforts to navigate his company through the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and for demonstrating that leadership is an action, not just a position, and for encouraging good citizenship through compassion, empathy and responsibility.
In the pages to follow you will find evidence of his successful and creative pioneering initiatives within the industry, with the acknowledgement and recognition for these achievements worldwide.
Still flying high 41 years into the business – Rakhita Jayawardena
After four-plus decades in the frontline of inflight retail, King Power Travel President Rakhita Jayawardena is going stronger than ever. Buoyed by a key new airline contract and a diversified business structure forged out of the COVID-19 crisis, the King Power Traveler business is also in robust shape as Martin Moodie discovered.
RAKHITA JAYAWARDENA AWARDED THE MOODIE DAVITT REPORT'S "PEOPLE OF THE YEAR FOR 2023"
Mr. Rakhita Jayawardena, President of King Power Traveler, has received the esteemed recognition as one of The Moodie Davitt Report's "People of the Year for 2023" among 15 distinguished individuals in the travel retail industry. This accolade is a significant honor in recognition of those individuals who by their deeds, attitudes and behaviour have most advanced the industry’s cause and reputation.
Asia Pacific Travel Retail Superstar Award 2021 - Humanity, Leadership And Inspiration Award
Mr.Rakhita Jayawardena wins this award for his outstanding management of the company during the Covid 19 pandemic.
APEX award for Superior Passenger Experience - Asia Pacific Region (2015)
During Rakhita Jayawardena's tenure as CEO, Sri Lanka's national carrier, Srilankan Airlines was awarded the Superior Achievement in Passenger Experience - Asia Pacific Region, at the APEX Awards 2015 held in Oregon - USA.
Inflight Sales Person of the Year 2015 (ISPY)
Rakhita Jayawardena, President KPT was awarded the "ISPY 2015 Fellowship Award" at the annual Oscar Awards Ceremony in London.
Chairman of APOT Asia for the Year 2015/16
Rakhita Jayawardena has functioned as the chairmen of Asia Pacific On-board Travel (APOT.Asia), an organisation that brings together aviation and hospitality leaders in the Asia Pacific Region.
Inflight Personality of the Year 2014.
Rakhita Jayawardena, President KPT awarded the "Inflight Personality of the Year 2014".
Airline Retail Conference (ARC).
“Founding father in inflight retail Rakhita Jayawardena confirmed as keynote speaker at ARC2011 in Macau”
Frontier Magazine. Piers G Harding. Editor.
“…he (Rakhita Jayawardena) has pioneered new and highly successful sales concepts… it is my opinion that it would be unlikely to find a more uniquely experienced expert in this field anywhere in the world!”
Moodie Report. Martin Moodie. Publisher.
“Rakhita Jayawardena is a walking talking encyclopedia of in-flight retailing”
Rakhita Jayawardena...President of Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA).
With an annual turnover of $10 billion (2020), Rakhita was honored by the regions travel retail industry to become the very first President of this organization. In January 2006 he was voted both by Duty Free News International (DFNI) and The Moodie Report as ‘Travel Retail ‘2005 person of the year’ for his sterling work and drive in building the ‘Travel Retail Village’ in his home country of Sri Lanka.
Additional recognition
Frontier awards 3 ‘Inflight Retailer of the year’ Frontier Awards Air Lanka; winner 1984, 1985, 1989
Rakhita Jayawardena,
President – KPT awarded
the ISPY 2015 Fellowship
Award at the Inflight Oscars
Rakhita Jayawardena,
President – KPT accepts the
ARC Inflight Personality of
the Year award
Rakhita Jayawardena, Director/CEO
of Srilankan Airlines accepts the APEX
Award for Superior Achievement in
Passenger Experience – Asia Pacific
Rakhita Jayawardena,
President of APTRA speaking
at a Tax Free symposium.