Prof. (Dr.) Athula Gnanapala is a Professor in Tourism Management attached to the Department of Tourism Management, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka (SUSL). Currently, he is working as the Dean of the Faculty of Management Studies at the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka. He served as the acting Vice-Chancellor of the SUSL for nearly one year before appointing the present Vice-Chancellor. Further, he is a former Head of the Department of Tourism Management and Programme Coordinator of the MSc. in Ayurvedic Hospital Management degree programme. Currently, he serves as co-editor-in-chief of the South Asian Journal of Tourism and Hospitality.

He obtained his first degree, a B.Sc. in Tourism Management, from the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka in 1997 and an M.Sc. in Management from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in 2003. In 2011, he completed his Doctoral degree in Tourism Management at the School of Business, Xiamen University, P.R. China. His research interests include consumer behaviour in tourism, tourism marketing, travel motivation & satisfaction, wildlife tourism, sustainable tourism planning & development, destination management, marketing, etc.

He has published his research works in nearly 25 books and book chapters, more than 40 research articles in refereed and indexed journals, and more than 60 international conference presentations. He disseminates his expertise as a reviewer of nationally and internally recognized academic journals, tourism consultants, editorial members, and scientific committee members for international symposiums. Further, Prof. Gnanapala renders his service as a postgraduate and Ph.D. supervisor and examiner.

Currently, Prof. Gnanapala is an active member of various Sri Lankan and oversees professional and Academic bodies such a member of the Broad of Study of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM), the Vice President of the Professional Business Coaches Association (PBCA), Country Coordinator of the CESTour (Centre for Excellence in Sustainable Tourism) project of the European Union, Chairman of the Subject Benchmarks Preparation Committee (Tourism and Hospitality) of the University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka.