FCCISL-Australian S4IG programme host Tourism MSME Summit

Entrepreneurs and industry experts engage in a lively panel discussion during Tourism MSME Business Summit 2024

Tourism MSME Business Summit 2024, a pivotal event for Sri Lanka’s economic development, was successfully hosted in Sigiriya.

This initiative, a collaboration between the Federation Chambers of Commerce and Industry Sri Lanka (FCCISL) and Australian government-funded Skills for Inclusive Growth (S4IG) programme, marks a significant achievement for the nation’s tourism industry. 

The summit provided a crucial platform for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to address the economic challenges of recent years. It highlighted the essential role of MSMEs in the Sri Lankan economy and offered strategies to overcome obstacles through professional development and support.

The event emphasised the importance of professional business coaching and business development services for MSMEs. It also aimed to enhance the understanding of localised skills planning at district level and unlocking the potential areas for regional tourism development, where it enables MSMEs to acquire necessary skills through coaching. 

Dialog Enterprise and key financial institutions were actively involved, offering insights and services to help MSMEs leverage technology and financial tools for business growth. Their participation demonstrated the value of public-private partnerships in driving economic progress. A highlight of the summit was the introduction of digital professional business coaching developed by S4IG. 

“A business coach is like a doctor for your business. Just as we seek medical expertise when we’re unwell, businesses also encounter challenging times. As owners, we may lack the necessary knowledge or solutions. That’s where a coach steps in—they provide unique solutions and help navigate the business more effectively,” District Women’s Development Coordinator Sureka Darshini Edirisinghe stated. 

“Our goal was to create a simple solution accessible to this group of MSMEs. The business coaching concept developed by S4IG was ideal for extending support to address the challenges they face in running their businesses,” FCCISL President Keerthi Gunawardena stated.

“The Australian government is proud to support innovative and inclusive interventions within the country and this event is gathering MSMEs to enhance their growth in one such occasion,” S4IG Team Lead Stephen Lodziak stated.