SLTDA
Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority

Community Relations

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority is committed to building and maintaining good relationships with the Sri Lankan community. Ensuring that strong relationships are fostered is vital to Sri Lanka's Tourism industry as if the community is disgruntled with the Tourism establishments, they could adversely react and affect the Sri Lankan image.

The objectives of Community Relations are as follows,

  • Keeping Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Tourism Industry
  • To create awareness among local community, stake holders in tourism on value of
    Tourism, its benefits and how to minimize its adverse effects.
  • To train tourist service providers and get them in to formal stream.
  • Educate the School Children on Building up a good travel culture based on their
    school tours and educate them on sustainability of environment, cultural and social values.
  • To mark and add value to social ad cultural events.

Tasks and works involved and suggested,

  • Conducting Awareness Raising Programmes for Community, School Children, Teachers, Principals, Tourism Stakeholders (Hoteliers, Guest House Owners, Vendors, Taxi Drivers etc) & Tourism Facilitators.
  • Conducting Training Programmes, Exams and assist to issue Licenses for Guides, Tourist Facilitators, Provisional Guides, Touts, Tourist Taxi Drivers, Vendors & Safari Taxi Drivers etc.
  • Participating for Exhibitions & Career Fairs (National & Provincial) organized by
    government, Institutes, Local Authorities, Universities etc. ie. Deyata Kirula, Shilpa, Sigiri Mela
  • Participating for Mobil Services organizing by Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and make aware the informal sector tourist stake holders in order to get them in to the main stream.

Setting up of School Travel Clubs island wide.
Aims, Objectives and Benefits of the School Travel Clubs are,

  • The aim of he School Travel Club programme is to motivate students to travel on a theme, “TRAVEL TO LEARN, LEARN TO TRAVEL”.
  • This programme provides opportunities not only to travel but also to acquire a wide knowledge on tourism and its activities.
  • This programme will be useful for the students to foster friendship and understanding among the students of different areas in the country and other countries.
  • Develop and appreciate the cultural and natural heritage of Sri Lanka and other countries.
  • Foster friendship and understanding among the students of different areas and countries by playing host to visiting guests of Schools or Youth Organizations from other areas in Sri Lanka and other countries.
  • Impart knowledge of tourism, its benefits and potential adverse effects.
  • Organize educational trips to places of cultural and natural attractions and explore the new places of tourist interest around the areas where the School Travel Club is formed.
  • Assist in making the cities more interesting to tourists and more beautiful.
  • The ultimate aim of this programme is to establish a good travel culture among youth.