Sri Lanka will commemorate UN World Tourism Day 2025 with the launch of a landmark nationwide hospitality skills development programme designed for secondary school students. Spearheaded by the Alumni Association of Tourism Economics and Hospitality Management (AATEHM) of the University of Colombo and the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM), the initiative is endorsed by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Tourism.
Introduced under the national theme “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation”, the programme aims to create vocational awareness, instill sustainable practices, and expose students to professional hospitality standards. Open to students from Grade 9 upwards, it represents a bold step in preparing youth with the skills, values, and mindsets required to play an active role in shaping Sri Lanka’s tourism economy.
The initiative unfolds in two stages. In September, provincial competitions will take place across all nine provinces at SLITHM regional centres and partner hotels. Winners from these rounds will advance to a series of national level events in Colombo that spotlight the country’s commitment to youth empowerment and sustainable tourism.
The celebrations begin on 27 September with the Colombo Travel Mart 2025 at One Galle Face, where 75 stalls will bring together tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers, and international buyers. On 28 September, the focus will shift to the Sri Lanka Tourism Job Fair & Career Expo, organised by AATEHM and the Sustainable Tourism Unit with the support of SLTDA, SLAITO, SLITHM, and the University of Colombo. This will connect students, job seekers, and professionals with employers and training institutions, providing career pathways in tourism and hospitality.
On 30 September, the spotlight turns to the nation’s youth with the Final School Tourism Club Competition, showcasing the talents and knowledge of students who have emerged from provincial rounds. The programme will culminate on 1 October at BMICH, where multiple headline events will take place: the 10th International Tourism Research Conference, the 10th International Tourism Leaders’ Summit, the launch of the Ruhunu Ring, the Vision 2 Voice 4th Edition, and the grand award ceremony. This finale will bring together global and local leaders, scholars, and innovators to share insights on policy, sustainability, and future-focused transformation.
Beyond these milestones, the initiative builds more than technical hospitality training. It emphasises essential soft skills such as communication, teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving. By embedding sustainability into the competition framework, it encourages participants to consider the environmental, social, and cultural dimensions of tourism while gaining real world experience. Together, these efforts ensure that Sri Lanka’s next generation emerges not only with practical expertise but also with the responsibility and vision needed to lead the tourism industry into the future.
