The European Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (ECCSL) will conduct a seminar titled ‘Sri Lanka Tourism Challenges and Opportunities - the way forward’ on June 7 at the JAIC Hilton from 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm.
Key speakers have been drawn from the industry who have many decades of exposure to all facets of tourism and the hospitality industry. Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs Minister John Amaratunga will be the Guest of Honour.
The seminar is ideally targetted at travel agents, hoteliers, hospitality service providers, potential investors in the hotel industry, individuals holding senior executives positions in the hospitality and travel industry and also officials in tourism policy formulation either at government or in semi-government institutions.
The central thrust of the seminar is to create a platform for industry experts to articulate the challenges faced by the industry and to identify the opportunities that lie hidden in the market, that is, whether Lanka has achieved its full potential and to what extent it can further develop the industry.
Industry sources believe that Sri Lanka has not adequately promoted the Ramayana trail in the Indian market and the full potential of promoting and marketing the Ramayana trail has not yet been fully realized.
Hindus still hold the Ramayana story in high reverence and even the dredging of the Sethusamudram project had met with stiff opposition from political parties affiliated with the Hindu religion. Hindus believe, as the story is narrated in Hindu mythology, that it was a bridge built by Lord Rama.
The tourism industry has faced a number of challenges in terms of policy and regulatory issues, capacity building, training programmes for youth, and non-availability of skilled labour, environmental issues and the issues that concern the investment climate in the hospitality industry.
The seminar will address these issues through the discourse by experts and there will be a question and answer session to give expression to various perceptions and expert views of individuals.
The seminar is open for both members of the ECCSL and non–members. For further information, email admin@eccsl.lk, invest.trade@eccsl.lk.
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