Private sector to get Hotel School

By Cheranka Mendis

The Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM) is contemplating handing over the facilitation of the institute to the private sector by the end of the year, SLITHM CEO Dr. Suranga Silva told the Daily FT yesterday.

Silva stated that SLITHM was hoping to hand over the facilitation before the end of the year, since it would increase the institute’s quality and standard of practices. Proposals have been called from the industry for the running of the institute and Sri Lanka Tourism is now assessing the proposals and applications, he said.

“We are now developing a manual that would help the private sector maintain the present quality levels. They would be responsible for the facilitation of the school while Sri Lanka Tourism would still have a hold on the running of the business,” Silva said.

However, if and when this happens, the cost of entering SLITHM would increase by 80%, Silva said. As at now the institute charges Rs. 3,500 monthly, which is only 20% of the total cost per person. The remaining 80% is borne by the Government.

As part of the five year tourism development plan that is still to be introduced, SLITHM will be run as a franchise chain, double the intake of batches, expand into the north and east of the country and develop a new syllabus for the school.

“We are hoping to double the existing batch of 960 students to 2,600 by end 2011. The present hotel schools in Ratnapura, Koggala, Bandarawela, Anuradhapura, Kandy and Colombo will take the necessary steps to enable the expansion of students,” he said.

He added that in order to provide better experience for the students, the institute had received University Grants Commission approval to enable the diploma holders of SLITHM to enter the Colombo University to study and receive a post graduate diploma in tourism, economics and hotel management. This, he said, would attract more people to enter the study of subject and would result in skilled workers for the industry.

“We want to promote Sri Lanka as a good place for tourism education. We also want to attract students from neighbouring countries as well soon. We have both comparative and competitive advantage in the business,” Silva noted. SLITHM also hopes to train 10,000 youth in different districts of Sri Lanka, mainly the north and east, under World Bank support. This project is expected to kick-start within a month’s time and would enable the institute to reach into the rural segment of the market in which opportunities lie in abundance. SLITHM is also working with State-run projects ‘Gami-Diriya’ and ‘Samurdhi’ programmes to take forward the industry to the rural parts of the country.

“In the five-year plan we have several categories that have been listed to be achieved within the time period. We believe that tourism manpower development cannot be run by the State sector only. The private company integration is vital,” he said.

By end 2010 Sri Lanka had listed 32 private sector hotel schools. Silva stated that this number would be increased with five to six new companies entering the local market within 2011.