Sri Lanka has all the ingredients this new year to emerge as the global leader in sustainable and community based tourism, opined Takafumi Kadono, Country Director, Sri Lanka Resident Mission, Asian Development Bank (ADB) at the launch of the ADB supported Sri Lanka’s first E-Learning Platform for Homestays held in Colombo on Friday.
“With the resilience of its people, richness of its culture and the strength of initiatives like this through robust collaborations and partnerships the future of Sri Lanka’s tourism sector is bright. I would also like to highlight the strong leadership of the government as well, positioning tourism as one of the main key drivers of growth for Sri Lanka.”
Kadono said homestay accommodation has emerged as a vital area for support and they are more than just a place to stay and are windows into Sri Lanka’s vibrant culture, traditions and way of life. They bridge the gap between tourists and local communities creating meaningful and genuine experiences for travellers while generating income for families and uplifting rural communities.
For the homestay sector to really strive it needs resources, knowledge, capacity building initiatives tailored to its unique challenges and this is why today’s initiative the E-Learning platform steps in. The creation of this platform which marks a significant milestone is a response to a critical need that the industry stakeholders together identified during their work of the true needs of homestay owners in various parts of the country. He said the homestay accommodation business needs accessible practical and relevant training opportunities. In an increasing digital world traditional methods of learning and skill development are no longer sufficient. This E-Learning platform is designed to empower homestay operators by equipping them with the knowledge and tools to enhance their services to meet international standards and expectations and remain competitive in a dynamic market.
Dewni Aluthwattew, Outreach Program Coordinator, Consultant, ADB said over the years the ADB Technical Assistance TA 9881 has supported a series of impactful initiatives aimed at strengthening the homestay sector. She said they have worked with over 120 homestay operators in Galle and Kandy to upgrade their skills and enhance their operations and also conducted a series of online training and workshops on fundamental digital marketing.
Aluthwatte said this platform can be accessed free of charge from any part of the country in all three languages in 9 modules. These modules are enriched with creative multimedia content, including graphics, voice narrations and videos, featuring real-life homestay stories from Sri Lanka.
The development process involved extensive consultations, including a review of existing training programs, literature reviews on global best practices, and a design-thinking approach to ensure the content meets the needs of diverse stakeholders. By improving the standards and formalizing homestay operations, SLTDA aims to enhance the tourism MSME sector’s resilience and sustainability.
The platform is expected to contribute significantly to economic recovery, creating a ripple effect across the tourism value chain.
More information can be obtained from https://elearning.sltda.gov.lk
Fizel Jabir
This post was originally published on here
