The International Tourism Leaders’ Summit (ITLS) was held in Colombo yesterday (02), under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, to mark the conclusion of a month-long series of activities held throughout September in parallel with World Tourism Day.
The ITLS Summit, which included school competitions from provincial to the national level, research forums and industry expos, brought together Ambassadors, High Commissioners, stakeholders of the tourism industry and local as well as international scholars.
Guided by the Ministry of Tourism, the programme was jointly organized by the Alumni Association of Tourism Economics and Hospitality Management (AATEHM) of the University of Colombo, its Sustainable Tourism Unit (STU), the Department of Economics, University of Colombo, in collaboration with Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB), Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) and Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management (SLITHM).
The main objective was to enhance the contribution of the younger generation, especially in small and medium enterprises, towards the future of the tourism sector.
The summit also featured a scholarly discussion under the theme “Tourism Innovation and Connections for the Future of Sri Lanka’s Tourism Industry,” with Ambassadors, High Commissioners and distinguished international experts.
At the event, President Dissanayake presented awards and certificates to students who emerged winners in the provincial competitions of the All-Island School Tourism Clubs.
The launch of the “Ruhunu Ring” website took place at this event. This platform was created by linking the three main tourist regions of Sri Lanka: the Southern, Uva and Eastern provinces, along with their respective service providers and the first copy of the “Vision2Voice” magazine was presented to the President.
Furthermore, Professor Suranga de Silva, Coordinator of the Tourism Studies Programmes and Sustainable Tourism Unit of the University of Colombo, presented a volume containing the ten best research papers on tourism from the University of Colombo to the President.
During the event, awards were also presented in appreciation of tourism industry veterans, while a special memento was presented to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Speaking at the summit, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, emphasized that the government’s objective is to develop a quality-driven tourism industry based on new research and innovations. The Minister also noted that several programmes are already being implemented to attract the younger generation to the tourism sector.
The Minister further highlighted that Sri Lanka’s unique and authentic hospitality, rooted in the nation’s culture and civilization offers the potential to showcase to the world an experience unmatched by any other country, while contributing to the achievement of the nation’s economic growth targets.
Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Energy, Kumara Jayakody, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Ruwan Ranasinghe, Chairman of SLTDA and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Buddhika Hewawasam, Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Professor Indika Karunathilaka, President of AATEHM, Nihal Muhandiram and several other dignitaries were present at the occasion. (Newswire)