Fast growing tourism needs manpower

by L.S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

A crash training program has been launched by the Tourism Ministry to train youth for the fast growing tourist sector, said Tourism Minister Nandana Gunatileka.

The training arm of the Ministry Sri Lanka institute of Tourism and Hotel Management will increase its intake to 5,000. The Hotel Management Institute building of 8,000 square feet will be fully utilized for training programs this year, he revealed.

The Minister said new branches of the Hotel Management Institute will be set up in Negombo, Panadura, Tangalle, Ampara and Trincomalee soon in addition to the present branches in Kandy, Anuradhapura, Matara and Bandarawela.

He said that the country's tourism sector had achieved a remarkable 28 per cent growth during July this year. "The influx began in June after the LTTE was defeated in May. During the first seven months of the year 229,952 tourist arrivals were reported, he said.

The Minister said that next year Sri Lanka has targeted half a million tourist arrivals and US $ 400 million in earnings from that sector. The President had given a target to attract 2.5 million tourists by 2015. There should be approximately 50,000 hotel rooms in Sri Lanka to achieve the target, the Minister pointed out.

Nandana Gunatileka said that a series of major development activities are taking place in the Eastern Province and Kalpitiya. Opportunities will be provided for investors to set up tourist resorts and improve the available tourist hotel facilities, he said.

He said that the fast growing tourist sector needs manpower. The Ministry of Tourism would give all assistance to reputed organisations to train the required manpower for the sector, he said.