The Sri Lankan travel sector is facing a major issue as all the hotels are operating with less than 50% of the required number of staff, said Chairman of Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management, (SLIHM) Shirantha Peiris at the 31st AGM of the Institute of Hospitality Sri Lanka at Movenpick Colombo.
He said that during the C-19 pandemic some of the employees in the industry found other means of employment while some others went overseas creating a huge vacuum.
“Though an emerging HR issue was highlighted for several years no concrete steps were taken to address this,” he said.
He said that SLIHM too has practical issues such as lack of space and to address this “we have started online classes.”
Peiris said that employees can get good returns but still prefer to work overseas as they unfortunately do not see a future in Sri Lanka and don’t have faith in the country which is now changing for the better.
Chairman of the Institute of Hospitality, (IH Sri Lanka) Dr. Harsha Jayasinghe also endorsed this and said that the brain drain in the country had not only led to a serious loss of talent but also hampered the industry’s ability to provide high-quality services and meet the demands of national and international visitors.
Dr. Jayasinghe said, “Sri Lankans were leaving the country in droves seeking better opportunities and the hospitality industry had lost a large number of trained personnel as a result.”
“The hospitality industry in Sri Lanka holds tremendous potential for economic growth, job creation, and cultural exchange and this HR issue should be addressed urgently hence authorities must take immediate steps to address this issue or the country’s hospitality industry would suffer a crippling blow,” he said.
This brain drain not only leads to a loss of talent, but also hampers the industry’s ability to provide high-quality services and meet the demands of national and international visitors.
“In a bid to address this issue our institutions provide comprehensive training in various aspects of hotel management, culinary arts, customer service, and other essential areas,” Dr. Jayasinghe said.
In 2022, IH Sri Lanka played an active role in organising training programs covering different sections of the Hospitality Industry.
He said, “As we are witnessing the technological boom that has changed all areas of life, we need to emphasise the use of technology in hospitality education and provide training on the latest industry-specific software and platforms in attracting the younger Generation.
“Integrating certain initiatives within schools can help foster interest and prepare them for careers in the hospitality industry,” he said.
Guest of Honour atthe event was Group CEO/Director of NDB Bank, Dimantha Seneviratne.