“Homestay” tourism reinvigorates to attract 5 million tourists next year
By: Staff Writer
Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is set to reinvigorate once thrived and later neglected homestay’ tourism concept to boost tourist arrivals with the aim of achieving the present government’s goal to attract five million tourists in the year 2024.
The local population plays a significant role in the tourism industry since they serve as the tourists’ hosts.
Tourism must be promoted to maximize industrial benefits. Positive outcomes must be enhanced, while negative consequences must be controlled, tourism ministry sources said.
The tourism sector has conceptualized the “Home Stay Programme” for the purpose of directly involving the rural community in Tourism which is now becoming a major contributor to the Sri Lankan Economy.
The initiative was taken by Sri Lanka Tourism to reintroduce the Home Stay programme with the objective of engaging the local community together with their expertise and capacity to become stakeholders in the Tourism sector.
They would become beneficiaries of tourism by offering accommodation facilities in their own homes to tourists.
The Home Stay program will have a special feature where tourists will have a first-hand experience of local culture and lifestyle which most of the tourists look for in their travel.
According to a countrywide research survey especially in popular tourist destinations in the island, homestay tourism business owners need to invest In eco-friendly business operations.
This was because of eco-friendly hospitality services are the main trends in the current global tourism and hospitality business Sector.
Also, homestay business owners should know that practical knowledge is highly significant in the tourism and hospitality sector business environment.
In the future, community capacity development, Identification of a unique promotional mechanism, and eco-friendly business operations will be needed to manage negative impacts.
The program also provides training and other facilities to those who operators to offer clean, comfortable and affordable accommodation while ensuring a memorable experience to the guests who would become promoters of this program in their own countries.
The Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Economic and Physical Plans in Sri Lanka discussed the government’s goal to attract five million tourists to the country in the year 2024.
Addressing the Committee, officials of the Ministry of Tourism and Lands mentioned that they have planned to implement the Home Stay concept, while officials also pointed out that plans have been made to bring wealthy tourists to Sri Lanka in the coming year.
Furthermore, in order to attract more tourists to Sri Lanka, the Committee pointed out that the general society of Sri Lanka should be prepared to welcome such tourists in a respectful manner, as opposed to cheating them out of their money.
The officials pointed out that training programs are already being conducted in selected areas.
Furthermore, the Committee also pointed out that it is important to identify the places with tourist attractions at the local level and prepare methods to promote them.
