Mr. WS Samantha

Mr. W.S. Samantha is a Lecturer (Probationary) attached to the Department of Tourism Management, Faculty of Management Studies, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka. He completed his BSc Honours in Hospitality Management in 2022 from the same university and is currently reading for his Master of Business Administration (Marketing) at SUSL.

Mr. Samantha has professional experience in both the hospitality industry and academia. He began his career as an intern at Tamarind Tree Hotel, Sri Lanka. He also worked internationally as a Front Desk Agent at Rose Plaza Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 2022 to 2023. 

He joined the Department of Tourism Management as an Assistant Lecturer (Temporary) in 2023 and was appointed as a Lecturer (Probationary) in 2024. He teaches several core course modules, including Front Office Management, Hospitality Accounting, Business Accounting, Service Quality Management, Recreation and Tourism Resources, Greening Tourism and Hospitality, and Introduction to Tourism and Hospitality. He also serves as the Coordinator of the Diploma in Tourism and Hospitality Management at the Centre for Open and Distance Learning (CODL), SUSL, and contributes as a visiting lecturer to multiple recognized institutes.

Mr. Samantha has been actively involved in academic, research, and extracurricular engagements. He serves as an Associate Editor of the South Asian Journal of Tourism and Hospitality, Senior Treasurer of Tourism and Hospitality Subject Association, Department of Tourism Management, SUSL  and has contributed to conferences, curriculum development, and academic event coordination. He has published research articles and book reviews in reputed journals and continues to guide undergraduate research in Tourism and Hospitality.

Domestic Tourism

Special Interest Tourism

Buddhist Tourism

Sustainable Tourism

Samantha, W. S., & Arachchi, R. S. S. W. (2025). Study on the Challenges Faced by Tourism Accommodation Service Providers in the Sacred City of Kataragama as a Religious Tourist Site in Sri Lanka. Tourism and Hospitality Management-A Modern Fusion of Sectors, 190, 190.

Samantha, W. S., & Shehara, J. A. D. S. (2025). Exploring the Potentials, Issues, and Challenges in Developing Buddhist Tourism in Sri Lanka. International Research Journal of Scientific Studies, 2(2), 8-30. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14830253

Samantha W.S., and Munasinghe P.K.S. (2024). Domestic Tourism Development in Southeast Dry Zone: Stakeholders' Perspective. South Asian Journal of Tourism and Hospitality, 4(1), 33-69, https://doi.org/10.4038/sajth.v4i1.89

Rathnasiri, M. S. H., and Samantha, W. S. (2024). Book Review on the Routledge Handbook of Hospitality Marketing, edited by Dogan Gursoy, 2018, Routledge. South Asian Journal of Tourism and Hospitality, 4(1), 120-128, https://doi.org/10.4038/sajth.v4i1.91

Samantha, W. S., & Arachchi, R. S. S. W. (2025). Study on the Challenges Faced by Tourism Accommodation Service Providers in the Sacred City of Kataragama as a Religious Tourist Site in Sri Lanka. Tourism and Hospitality Management-A Modern Fusion of Sectors, 190, 190.

Associate Editor of South Asian Journal of Tourism and Hospitality (SAJTH), Faculty of Management Studies, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka.

Reviewer of extended abstract Undergraduate Research Forum (URF) of 14th International Conference on Management and Economics (ICME 2025), Faculty of Management and Finance, University of Ruhuna.

Reviewer of International Journal of Contemporary Business Research (IJCBR), Issue 01 Volume 04, Faculty of Business, NSBM Green University. 

Editorial board member for the Abstract Proceedings of the 5th and 6th Management Undergraduates’ Research Session (MURS 2023 & 2024), Faculty of Management Studies, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka 

Editorial board member  of the 8th Interdisciplinary Conference of Management Research (ICMR 2023) - full abstract book

Coordinator, Diploma in Tourism and Hospitality Management, Centre for Open and Distance Learning, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka.

Student Consultant of World Tourism Day Celebration organized by Department of Tourism Management and Tourism and Hospitality Alumni, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka - 2025

Facilitator of the Tourism Awareness Workshop for School Students, organized in parallel to the World Tourism Day by the Tourism and Hospitality Subject Association, Department of Tourism Management, Faculty of Management Studies, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka – 2023 & 2025.

Event Industrial Liaison of “Futurecare 2025” Career Fair organized by Faculty of Management Studies, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka – 2025.

Senior Treasurer of Tourism and Hospitality Subject Association, Department of Tourism Management, Faculty of Management Studies, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka – 2024 & 2025.

Supervisor and examiner for Advanced Certificate in Professional Business Coaching, Faculty of Management Studies, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka – 2025.

Paper Moderator and Second Examiner for Promoting Tourism Product (H55C001M16) of NVQ Level 6 Semester II & IV exam of University College of Anuradhapura, University of Vocational Technology– 2025.

Coordinating Secretary of 6th Management Undergraduates’ Research Session (MURS 2024), Faculty of Management Studies, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka – 2024.

Student Counsellor, Department of Tourism Management, Faculty of Management Studies, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka – 2024.

Project Assistant for the CESTour Dissemination Meeting held at Faculty of Management Studies, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka.

Assistant Coordinator of the workshop on Systematic Literature Review held in Sri Lanka Airport and Aviation Academy, Ratmalana, -2023.

Paper Moderator and Second Examiner for Financial Management and Accounting (H55C001M09), NVQ level 6 I & II Special exam of University College of Anuradhapura, University of Vocational Technology – 2023.

Paper Moderator and Second Examiner for Financial Management and Accounting (H55C001M09), NVQ level 6 I & II Special exam of University College of Anuradhapura, University of Vocational Technology – 2023.

Session Coordinator for the Undergraduate Poster Presentations – Management Studies of the 13th Annual Research Sessions (ARS 2023), Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka – 2023.

Front Office Management

Service Quality Management

Hospitality Accounting

Greening Tourism and Hospitality

Recreation and Tourism Resources

Business Accounting

Workshops in Tourism and Hospitality

Hospitality Operations Management