Theme ‘Sustainable Tourism for Development - Way Forward for Sri Lanka’ :
The organizers of Tourism Leaders' Summit recently met Minister of Tourism Development John Amaratunga, officials of the ministry and Sri Lanka Tourism to brief them on the forthcoming United Nation's World Tourism Day celebrations.
Tourism Leaders' Summit is an annual event organized by the Alumini Association of Tourism Economics and Hospitality Management (ATEHM) of the University Of Colombo to coincide with the UNWTO celebrations.
Started in 2014, the summit has turned out to be a well accepted event by the industry having being recognized as the main event that coincides with the UN World Tourism Day.
'Sustainable Tourism for Development - Way Forward for Sri Lanka' is the theme this year which is a combination of the global theme and an addition of relevant Sri Lankan context.
The organizing committee led by Dr Suranga Silva briefed the Tourism Minister on the theme, objectives and the current status of the summit.
Minister Amratunga has reportedly confirmed the support of his ministry and Sri Lanka Tourism while proposing improvements.
Dr Silva is the founder and coordinator of Master's in Tourism Economics and Hotel Management degree at the University of Colombo and Secretary General, Tourism and Hospitality Educators and Researchers Association of Asia (THERAA).
The Minister has recommended collaboration with all stakeholders in the industry and proposed to consider carrying out an awareness programme in the provinces targetting the school children in a bid to attract them to the industry.
He has pointed out that it is of significant importance to attract youth into the hospitality industry with the current government policy of promoting tourism as a major economic drive.
This year's summit will be held on October 4 at the BMICH and will feature eminent guest speakers, Prof. Sanjay Nadkarni - Dubai, Prof. Fran‡ois Vellas - France, Prof. Heidi Dahles - Australia, Dr. Joseph M. Cheer - Australia, Prof. Keir Reeves - Australia, Prof. S Rashidul Hasan - Bangladesh, Prof. Bansal - Delhi , Prof. Sandeep Kulshestra - Lucknow/Delhi, Prof. Venkat Rao - Chennai, Prof. Dr. Dimitri Ioannides - Sweden, Dr. Stroma Cole - London, Prof. Dr. Kumi Kato - Japan, Prof. Claudio Milano - Spain, Prof. Ali Kathabi - Malaysia, Prof. Marina Ambrosecchio - Italy, Prof. Dr. S Chemsripong,- Thailand, and Prof. QiujuLuo - Guangzhou, P.R. China.
The fringe events in the run up to the main event will include Women in Tourism and Community-Based Tourism, a pre-event press briefing, tree-planting campaign and public awareness programme on sustainable tourism, Tourism Day Walk 2017, industry interactive network building cricket carnival, Quiz competition, and Tourism Leaders International Research Symposium and Conclave.
0 comments: