Northern, an emerging destination in Sri Lanka with an enormous potential for tourism with its diverse-Authentic-untouched properties gifted by mother nature. Suffered from crual ethnic was for 33years, North is now ready to be unveiled as a must visit destination in Sri Lanka.
As revealed by Tourism Value Chain conducted in Northern Province by EFECS in 2019, 70% of the SMEs are not registerd under the National Tourism Organisation, Sri Lanka Tourism Developemnt Authority (SLTDA). At present only around 60 business entities are registerd under SLTDA in Northern Province due to the poor awareness about the importance of formalisation.
Yet, pandemic has stressedout the importance of adhearing to the proper safety guidelines in order to open the doors to the local & foreign guests in this new normal.
In order to create awareness and interest of formalisation, Northern Province Tourism Bureau & EFECS Project jointly organised an “Awareness Programme on SLTDA registration process & “Safe & Secure Certification” for Hoteliers and restaurenet owners in all five districts of Northern Province. Resource persons from Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority conducted this awareness programme on 10th,
11th & 17th February 2021 in Hotel Oviya Vavuniya, Coccos Garden Hotel
Mannar & The Thinnai Hotel, Jaffna respectively.
75 Tourism Service Providers from Jaffna District attending the Programme held on 17th February 2021
25 Tourism stakeholders from Mannar attending the programee held on 11th February 2021.
Vavuniy and Mullaitivea stakeholders attending the programme adhering to the safety distancing and secure protocols in Vavuniya on 10th February 2021
114 hotels & restaurants were able to enhance their capacity on the complete application procedure for SLTDA registration as well as the “Safe & Secure Certification” which is mandatory to welcome foreign guests during the pandemic.
12 officials engaged with the business registrations in Divisional Secretariats also attended for this programme in order to motivate the new registrations towards formalisation.
Official from Divisional Secretariat, commenting at the programme…
Morning session was focussing on the hotels & restaurants registered under the business act but not formalised under Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. This session was attended by larger numbers of business owners, seeking for future improvements and business sustainability.
Registration and Renewal Process of Home stay units, Guest Houses and Hotels were explained in detailed with the required documentation with online guidance.
“With the great desire of presenting a safer and securer destination for the gusts, Sri Lankan Government has introduced a set of guidelines and protocols to assist the tourism stakeholders” said Mr. Dadeepan, Assistant Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority speaking at the programme.
Mr. Dadeepan, Assistant Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, explaining the process of registration at Mannar Programme.
The conversion process of the entities registered under SLTDA into Safe and Secure Certified Hotels & Restaurant is now in progress. The afternoon sessions completely addressed on the importance guidance to obtain this certification and the procedure of applying online.
Mr. Dadeepan, explaining the categories of registration at the Awarenessa.
The programme was conducted under the strict adherence to the Covid19 preventive measures in order to avoid the risk of outbreak.
Ms. Vibeeshana Yogarajah, SME Officer, SANASA Uththamavi, registering the participants at Coccos Garden Hotel, Mannar
Hoteliers and restaurant owners attending the programme following the pandemic safety guidelines in Vavuniya on 10th February 2021….
Hotelier from Mannar, referring the guidelines document.
All participants were given a complete set of printed guidelines and important instructions published by Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.
“Northern Tourism is in the process of transformation through new innovations and modalities such as digitalisation, standardisation and certification in order to be improved. I consider this transformation is a must to face the future challenges in tourism, therefore, I invite all of you to step forward with the SLTDA registration processes” said Mr. Stanley Mascarenhas, Chairman, Northern Tourism Bureau addressing the tourism stakeholders.
Mr. Stanley Mascarenhas, Chairman, Northern Province Tourism Bureau, explaining the importance of formalisation to create safe & secure northern tourism destination at Vavuniya Programme held on 10th February 2021….
A hotelier from Jaffna commenting at the programme at The Thinnai Hotel, Jaffna…..
A stakeholder from Vavuniya expressing her comments at the programme held on 10th January 2021 at Hotel Oviya.
A hotelier from Mannar clarifying an important point from SLTDA officials at the programme held in Coccos Garden Hotel, Mannar on 11th February 2021.
Comments of the Participants were collected via a feedback form to understand the future
requirements…
Mr. Anujan, ASMET Coordinator for Northern Province also represented the programme in order to provide better assistance for the Stakeholders.
Mr. Krishna, explaining the online registration process at Mannar Programme held on 11th
February 2021
Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority guiding the hoteliers & restaurant owners for easy documentation in Jaffna Programme….
Explaining the registration process…..
Mr. Vishwanathan Sinthujan, Market Development Officer (EFECS Project) thanking the officials and stakeholders in Mannar Programme.
Ms. Harshi Abeynayake, Value Chain Officer (Tourism) EFECS Project offering her sincere
appreciation and gratitude for the respective officials and participants……
“EFECS is a pilot project funded by Global Affairs of Canada managed by Desjardins development International and lead by SANASA International Pvt Limited. We have conducted number of researchers and developed evidence-based destination development models to streamline the Tourism Value Chain through community tourism approach connecting Cooperative, Private and Public stakeholders together. We all have to adopt to the situation and adhered to the respective mandates to drive our businesses further in this new normal” said Ms. Harshi Abeynayake, Value Chain Officer (Tourism) EFECS Project addressing the audience.