Tourism Mobile Service in Trincomalee

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, among other tourism promotional activities will conduct a a tourism mobile service in Trincomalee by its Standards Quality Assurance Division. This mobile service has been carried out in tourism developed areas in the country for last few years by the Authority.

This will be the third mobile service for the year 2012 and previously it was held in Anuradhapura and Arugambay.

The objective of conducting these mobile services is to facilitate all aspects of tourist service providers such as hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, travel agencies, water sports centers, home stay units etc. by getting them involved for new registration, renewal of licenses of all registered establishments and carrying out inspections.

SLTDA is very keen on monitoring continuously the standards and quality of the establishments of tourism service providers and it is felt necessary to update them through these mobile services.

To cater to the above requirement arrangements have been made to conduct Tourism Mobile Service on May 23, 24 and 25 2012 at Chaaya Blu Hotel in Trincomalee with the assistance of Coast Conservation Department, Police, Divisional secretariats of Trincomalee and Kuchchaveli, Treincomalee Pradeshiya Sabha Central Environmental Authority.

The total objective of the event is to encourage new establishments to get registered and to obtain the licenses, renewal of licenses of registered establishments of the area and carry out annual inspection of accommodation sector and restaurants organizing of service quality enhancement programmes for industry stakeholders and create awareness among the stakeholders on the benefits of being registered with SLTDA.

The inspections carried out during mobile service will be free of charge.

In this context approximately 70 informal establishments and 25 formal/registered establishments have been identified to be participate in this programme.

Having conducted a press briefing session for Industry Stake Holders on the requirements for new registration and updating and promoting the service of existing establishments, they were educated on the value of the participation in the programme which will be conducted on 23 and 24 with the knowledge sharing activities using senior resource personnel in the industry.

This programme would enhance the existing quality of the establishments, stakeholders will be notified with their shortcomings which are necessary to be rectified for continuation of the business at the time of inspection.

Officers representing government offices such as Divisional Secretariat, CCD, CEA, Pradeshiya Sabha, and Wildlife will assist them in obtaining necessary/required documents to be submitted to SLTDA for registration. At this programme the Police will educate the stakeholders as to how they should cater to the tourists creating a harassments free environment.

The government will get the benefit of collecting its due taxes such as Tourism Development Levy by way of registering new establishments and through carrying out inspections. Organizing this event will pave the way to create new income generating avenues in tourism industry and it will open up employment opportunities for small and medium scale tourist service providers who will join the industry receiving the exposure towards progress.