SLAITO Youth gears for new normal
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is to get a boost from its youth with plans to revive a sector that is currently finding it hard to raise its head amid the COVID- 19 pandemic.
Newly inaugurated on June 18 at the Holiday Inn hotel in Colombo. the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators ( SLAITO) Youth kick started with former MP Namal Rajapaksa addressing the gathering as chief guest on the occasion.
He noted that the lockdown has adversely affected those employed in the global travel and tourism industry, and in the airline sector.
He pointed out that the tourism industry has to restructure and offer more than what it has been doing in the past.
“We need to restructure, rethink and reach new markets and we have to offer something different,” Mr. Rajapaksa said adding that as a country “we have come out of COVID-19.”
SLAITO Youth’s first President Maxine Wickremesinghe said they as the youth of the industry will be gearing to push forward their ideas to boost tourism in the country.
He noted that when working together they can drive progress for the industry adding that there is a need for an increased digital presence of SLAITO.
Mr. Wickremesinghe pointed out that the travel agent has become a more relevant and important entity in today’s context and they needed to highlight the niche activities that could be achieved.
The SLAITO Youth also comprises Ms. Mandrinee Nanaya k k a r a , M s. Thilochanan Karandawala, Aman Farook, Ms. Chantelle Ferdinands, Chathura Fernando, George Paul, Ms. Prabodini Bandara and Ms. Dinooshi Kariyawasam.
Former diplomat Dr. Palitha Kohonna speaking on the occasion said that in an industry that employs over 300,000 people the government has planned to increase the industry income to US$ 5 billion.
“We need to expand the menu we offer especially to the young crowd,” he said noting that tourism is expected to take off after COVID- 19 as it’s no longer the middle class or rich class but it’s the young market that’s likely to take over.
In the phase one of the SLAITO Youth there will be a membership of 35 with plans to expand into phase two in the near future, a release issued by the organisers stated.
SLAITO Youth aims at improving the sustainability of the tourism industry through industrywide initiatives to reduce the use of single use plastics as well as reducing tourism’s impact on the country’s wild life, parks, coral reefs and the environment in general.
About 65 per cent of tourists to Sri Lanka arr ive via a Destination Management Company ( DMC) that shows the relevance of tour operators in the country and for the industry.