Courtyard by Marriott introduces first female chauffeurs in Sri Lanka

By Divya Thotawatte

Recognising the lack of female chauffeurs in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, Courtyard by Marriott Colombo, in partnership with Transcend Drive, introduced two women chauffeurs, who are expected to be the first of many.

This initiative was unveiled on 3 June where the female chauffeurs demonstrated their work and training to the attendees of the event. The chauffeurs are provided with training by Transcend Drive in an effort to assist them in navigating the tourism industry and offering good service as the initiative paves way for more women chauffeurs.

Courtyard by Marriott Colombo General Manager Elton Hurtis said: “When we aspire to be number one as a company, we like to partner with like-minded folks and people that understand how we do business. I can talk about women empowerment, sustainability, etc. But within Marriott, it is not a trend anymore. You know, it is more like a mandate. It’s like second nature. Now, when a lady travels, she will be so pleased to be driven around by a lady. It is where the world was meant to be.”

“During the training period with Transcend Drive, the chauffeurs would not merely be given industry training, but also training on first aid, spoken English and providing good service. The selected women chauffeurs will be provided with facilities such as manageable work hours, transport home during late hours and women’s locker room facilities for additional comfort and security.  The objective is to make the female chauffeurs as well as the female travellers feel respected and comfortable because often women would prefer to have chauffeurs who were also women,” said Transcend Drive Director Sudeshika De Silva.

Transcend Drive Founder and CEO Kishan De Silva said: “Female chauffeurs have not been seen before in Sri Lanka. But there’s a growing female travel population and their demands are very high as well. And with the resurgence of tourism right now, this is the appropriate time to serve the need.”