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.