SLAITO expands membership to all stakeholders of industry
Thursday, 23 January 2014 00:00
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The Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) is set to expand its membership in the form of admitting associate members who play an integral part in the local hospitality and tourism industry.
The move comes in the wake of a massive public relations and media drive across the globe related to tourism promotion of tourism in the island.
Accordingly stake holders of the industry spanning, hotels, restaurants, transport service providers, adventure sports providers, camping site providers, food and beverage providers and all other such products and service providers will form a part of the vibrant organisation that SLAITO has over the years been renowned for.
The island’s booming tourism industry has experienced a sustained growth over the last few years upon the ending of the three decades long civil conflict with ravaged the country. The industry has witnessed tourist across the world visiting the many attractions and sites that the country possesses together with experiencing the cultural diversity and the natural beauty that is inherent in Sri Lanka.
President of the Association Mahen Kariyawasam believes that the move of admitting associate members would help centralise the operations and provide the entire membership with benefits both in the form of financials and other material benefits.
“We would be the voice for all these industries that would form a part of our membership in the future. Sri Lanka is renowned for its unbeatable hospitality and diversity in all forms and therefore the country is now considered one of the main destinations for travellers. Therefore this is the best time to ensure that all stakeholders related to the industry are brought within a single platform,” he said.
The associate members who would thus gain membership will be provided with support on policy which will result in the achieving of objectives of the members together with other accruing benefits such as creating dialogue and ensuring industry issues are brought to the limelight.
The material benefits that the members would gain include priority at the Sancharaka Udawa mega exhibition which today has evolved into one of the most looked forward to events in the hospitality industry calendar.
The Associate Members would also be given the opportunity to use the membership to activate more business through promotion of their products and services to the main membership which comprise the country’s main inbound tourism operators.
Kariyawasam believes that the growing industry would benefit immensely through galvanising all stakeholders of the industry.
“This is the best and most potent method of ensuring business and policy objectives that affect the industry as a whole are discussed and achieved. The Association has garnered a reputation over the years for being one of the most vibrant associations which seek to provide the best it could to its wide and growing membership. The fact that many of the stakeholders of the industry will form a part of this vibrant membership is something to look forward to with the country heading to exciting times in terms of tourism in the years to come,” he said.
