Small businesses, tourism operators hail USAID-SLTDA Learning Expo in Galle

Small business operators in the tourism industry hailed the Sustainable Niche Tourism Learning Expo conducted by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) in Galle on 24 October.

“This is a great initiative and a very informative program which helped us enhance our knowledge on a wide range of topics,” said one participant who owns a small hotel. “We are relatively new entrants to the tourism industry, and I realised today that there many more aspects to sustain our business than merely focusing on filling our hotel rooms. It was a very enriching experience,” he added.

The event attracted over 100 small businesses and allied stakeholders and was the second in a series of similar events to be held across the country. The first event was held in Colombo in September. Small tourism businesses learned about digital marketing, travel trends, and how to incorporate sustainability into their daily operations. Participants also had access to mentoring sessions with industry trailblazers and received toolkits focused on product development, marketing, promotions, and sustainability. 

The Learning Expo was a direct follow-on of the launch of 12 new niche tourism categories in June this year, to enhance the competitiveness of small businesses and allow Sri Lanka to better establish its brand identity, increase its appeal and market share, create jobs and opportunities across the tourism sector, and generate much-needed foreign exchange. A wide variety of vendors showcased products that small businesses can use to enhance their services and incorporate sustainability into their supply chains.

Sri Lanka’s diverse tourism offerings hold immense potential for small businesses to cater to the demands of both international and domestic travelers. To establish a thriving tourism sector, it is vital to empower small business owners to innovate, refine their products, and deliver sustainable guest experiences aligned with traveller expectations. 

Tourism is critical to Sri Lanka’s economy as it exits the pandemic and deals with its internal economic crisis. Pre-pandemic tourism represented 12% of the country’s GDP, generating $ 4.3 billion in revenue in 2018 and providing employment for three million people. Sri Lanka is currently experiencing an encouraging resurgence in tourist arrivals and celebrated the landmark achievement of welcoming its one millionth visitor for 2023, in the last week of September, easily surpassing the figure of 720,000 recorded for the whole of 2022.

Already popular as a tourism destination for its natural beauty and cultural heritage, in June this year, Sri Lanka repositioned its tourism offering with the launch of 12 new niche tourism categories – from adventure tourism and cultural experiences to hosted/curated experiences and wellness and healing – offering differentiated experiences for travelers seeking an immersive holiday. 

“I wish to thank USAID and SLTDA for conducting this very informative event which was a real eye-opener to most of us. We have been used to viewing tourism in a very old fashioned way that we have used for generations; today’s event showcased many exciting new approaches which will help us to better market our country and attract more tourists,” said Southern Province Tourism Bureau Chairman Channa Saliya Mendis.

Niche tourism allows a destination to provide more inclusive opportunities for women, minority communities, and other disadvantaged groups by creating opportunities for them to participate in their own unique way. 

USAID launched the tourism activity under the Indo Pacific Opportunity Project (IPOP) in July 2022 to support economic reforms and promote foreign direct investment in Sri Lanka. The two-year project is assisting SLTDA to streamline and implement new policies and procedures to enable fast-tracking and attraction of foreign direct investment in the tourism sector. The learning expo is yet another positive step taken by IPOP to boost Sri Lanka’s tourism industry and its economic recovery.