EMPOWERING SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN TOURISM
Empowering SMEs in Tourism: National Awareness Programme Marks World Tourism Day 2025
An awareness programme titled “Empowering Small and Medium Enterprises in Tourism” was held on 2 October 2025 at the BMICH, Colombo, as part of Sri Lanka’s national celebrations for World Tourism Day 2025. The event was jointly organised by the Standards and Quality Assurance Division of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) and the Alumni Association of Tourism Economics and Hospitality Management of the University of Colombo.
The programme was designed to support aspiring entrepreneurs, existing business owners, and individuals seeking to register their enterprises with the SLTDA. It aimed to strengthen the role of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in driving inclusive and sustainable growth within Sri Lanka’s tourism sector.
Mrs. Tharanga Rupasinghe, Director of Standards and Quality Assurance at the SLTDA, served as one of the key speakers, delivering valuable insights into the processes of standardisation and quality assurance within the industry. Dr. Samantha Pathirathna, Chairman of ECO Treats Tourism Pvt Ltd and PASS Asian Pvt Ltd, and Director of The Rivergate Villa Pvt Ltd, shared his experience as a successful entrepreneur and as a Sustainable Tourism Expert with Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) iCRIP project. Mr. Jayantha Kovilagodage, CEO of Lanka Business TV, joined the discussion to provide practical guidance on financial planning and digital transformation for small tourism enterprises.
The programme covered a range of key areas, including the fundamentals of operating a tourism-related business, the benefits of registering with the SLTDA, supplier experiences from registered operators, and the importance of maintaining service standards. Participants received information on adapting to evolving tourism and travel trends, integrating digital tools to expand market reach, and fostering innovation in their business models.
The target audience included SME entrepreneurs, small hotel and homestay owners, tour guides, experience providers, students planning to start businesses, and new travel agents. The interactive sessions allowed participants to exchange ideas and learn from industry practitioners with first-hand experience in tourism management and enterprise development.
This awareness programme formed part of the national initiative celebrating World Tourism Day 2025. The series of events included provincial-level school competitions, industry exhibitions, and the International Tourism Research Conference. These activities represented one of the most wide-ranging celebrations of tourism in recent years, uniting students, professionals, policymakers, and international partners to advance the country’s tourism agenda.
The events were jointly organised by the Ministry of Tourism, the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM), the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), the Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL), and the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), with support from the Alumni Association of Tourism Economics and Hospitality Management (AATEHM) and the Sustainable Tourism Unit of the University of Colombo.
