Sri Lanka urged to enhance digital focus in hospitality sector

• Stakeholders point out lack of learning opportunities in Sri Lanka, which is not coinciding with the fast-paced changes in the industry worldwide
• Say traditional skill sets need an overhaul, but question if Sri Lanka will catch up

Glen Grosic	Rajitha Dahanayake

By Nuzla Rizkiya 
As Sri Lanka’s hospitality sector gradually gains global attention, two regional industry stakeholders highlighted the urgent need for Sri Lanka to step up its focus in facilitating its tourism industry in the digital landscape. 

The Asian region is expected to experience the highest growth rates in hospitality revenue over the next five years, with countries such as Singapore, Thailand, and China having already advanced in their digital readiness and workforce preparation. 

Sri Lanka too is well-positioned to capitalise on the growth due to its strategic location, according to Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Asia Pacific Managing Director Glen Grosic. 
“Based on my understanding, there seems to be a lack of learning opportunities in Sri Lanka, which is not coinciding with the fast-paced changes in the industry worldwide. Not only are commercial roles changing with AI entering the picture, but everyone’s jobs are rapidly evolving. So, traditional skill sets need an overhaul, and the question lies on when Sri Lanka will catch up,” Grosic told Mirror Business on the sidelines of the Digital Hospitality Conclave organised by eMarketingEye recently. 

Commenting on Sri Lanka’s reviving tourism industry, he noted that it was very unfortunate that Sri Lanka had to go through a triple crisis—the deadly Easter attacks, Covid pandemic, followed by the economic crisis—which hindered its pace in digital tourism compared to progressive countries such as Singapore, Thailand, and Australia. 
However, the advancement of other Asian regions, fueled by Sri Lanka’s relatively low costs and competitive pricing, provide the island a significant opportunity to leverage the growing hospitality market in the region. 
“I was in India two weeks ago, and people were very confident about their economy, growth and revenue. So they are looking to travel and Sri Lanka is an easy destination for them,” Grosic said. 

His sentiments were further reiterated by eMarketingEye CEO Rajitha Dahanayake, who emphasised that promoting tourism in the digital landscape is crucial at the moment, given the growing interest in searches for Sri Lanka among destination travellers. 

“Searches for ‘Sri Lanka hotels’ have increased by 50 percent compared to last year, and interest in keywords such as ‘luxury hotel Sri Lanka’ and ‘Sri Lanka travel’ shows about a 30-40 percent increase. Consumers today are increasingly looking for experiences and there is more and more mobile usage, online booking and online researching. Travellers on average research at least 38 websites before making a travel decision,” Dahanayake stressed. 

“We are seeing around a 50 percent increase year-on-year. However, you may not see it in the next six months, so we need to continue the push.” he added. 

Elaborating that both authorities and private sector brands should share the responsibility of promoting tourism, he noted the process is tied to the same funnel, with authorities in charge on upper-funnel activities and private brands on the lower funnel. 

“The authorities are primarily responsible for upper-funnel activities, creating awareness and visibility. But, it is the responsibility of the private sector brands to capture that inflow of interest and try to increase the direct revenue coming into to the country,” Dahanayake said.