Women in Tourism Has Sri Lanka done enough to advance women in the fast reviving industry?

This report is compiled based on the forum ‘Women in Tourism: Advocate, Engage, Achieve’, organized by the Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance (SLTA) in collaboration with Australia’s Market Development Facility (MDF).
The forum served as a platform to discuss and develop solutions that would enhance the involvement of women in the tourism sector. The dialogue brought together industry professionals and key stakeholders of the tourism sector to discuss obstacles hindering women’s participation in the industry, implementation of inclusive recruitment practices and advocacy programmes through innovative business models.

Known for its stunning beaches, lush natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, Sri Lanka is a popular destination for travellers from around the world. 
The country’s tourism industry has flourished over the years, to emerge as one of the most valuable players in the economy. 
The sector heavily contributes towards employment creation and poverty alleviation in rural areas, boosts foreign exchange earnings, promotes local businesses and industries, and ensures a steady supply of revenue to the government. 

A snapshot of Sri Lanka’s tourism landscape

In the recent past, Sri Lanka has faced its fair share of challenges, with the 2019 Easter Sunday Bombings threatening to wreck the country’s tourism industry. The Covid pandemic then hit before Sri Lanka had a chance to recover. 
The economic and political turmoil in 2022, when the country was besieged by protests and unrest, and essential commodities like fuel became almost impossible for people to secure – further pushed tourists away from Sri Lanka, making the revival of this sector extremely challenging.
Fueled by favourable conditions, improved infrastructure, increased investment in marketing and promotion and the recognition of Sri Lanka as one of the top travel destinations, the nation recorded an impressive 1,487,303 tourist arrivals between January and December 2023. 
Despite grappling with various economic issues, the upward trajectory in tourist arrivals and earnings shows that international tourism is on track to approach pre-pandemic levels by 2024.
Sri Lanka’s hospitality and tourism industry is also expected to benefit from the country’s growing reputation as a destination for sustainable tourism. 
The country has a strong commitment to protecting its natural and cultural heritage, and many hotels and tour operators now offer eco-friendly and sustainable options for tourists. This is an important area of growth for the country, as it helps to ensure that tourism can continue to benefit the country’s economy in the long-term.
Even as Sri Lanka is seeing a robust revival of its tourism, there are several challenges to be addressed within the sector. The value-added tax (VAT) exemption which was extended to tourism operators was lifted in January 2024 to meet tax collection targets. 
The mass migration of Sri Lankans to other countries in search of jobs has also hurt the tourism industry. Another concern for many tour operators and safari four-wheel drive drivers is that they have to put up with old vehicles as the government banned vehicle imports in early 2020 to control dollar outflows. Industry stakeholders are also of the opinion that while higher tourist arrivals are a positive sign, there is a need to attract high-spending tourists to generate more revenue for the economy. 
This concept was backed by hospitality leader and SLTA head Malik Fernando who is dedicated to creating unique high-end experiences to lure big-spending travelers into the country.

The role of women in tourism

Empowering women to participate in economic development at all levels and sectors is essential to building strong economies and stable societies. Sri Lanka’s population comprises 50 percent of women, totalling about 11 million. Of this, 55 percent fall into the employable demographic aged between 20-60 years. 
However, only around 30-35 percent of women are currently economically active. This means that a disproportionate majority of women remain outside the labour market, with no access to wages, pensions and other benefits tied to gainful employment.
Research has also shown that although 54 percent of the global tourism workforce is female many are still concentrated in lower-paid and often informal work with restricted upward mobility. 
In Sri Lanka, unlike other industries where women take a leading role in contributing to the economy of the country, female labor participation in the tourism sector is less than 10 percent. “This low female participation has a serious impact on the industry when it comes to guest experience. I have had many foreign female guests question me about why there are hardly any women employed at our resorts, with most service staff being male, thus putting off many a female traveller” shared Malik Fernando, adding that the organisation has since made a concerted effort to rectify these numbers. 

Challenges faced by women working in tourism 

A recent study carried out by the Market Development Facility (MDF) in Australia revealed various factors impacting the involvement of women in Sri Lanka’s tourism sector and highlighted several key insights to address the lack of a sustainable role for women in the sector. The challenges faced by women in accessing leadership positions and equal pay in the industry are many: 
Social stigma 
Meaningful contribution to the industry by women is prevented by the social and cultural beliefs and patriarchal values still predominant in Sri Lanka. Jobs in the industry are deemed to be socially unsuitable for women, especially single females, due to negative and outdated perceptions, thus creating a social stigma surrounding women in the hotel sector. 
In many families, male members of the household have primary influence in deciding what industry and job role their female relatives take on. Consequently, parents and husbands discourage female children and spouses respectively from pursuing careers in the hotel sector. 
General Manager, Hilton Colombo, Manesh Fernando stated that it is strange to note that Sri Lankan women often prefer to move overseas for employment as domestic workers but choose not to engage in tourism sector jobs. 
“I must emphasize that colonial labour laws are the main reason for the low numbers of female participation in the tourism sector and these should change now. Companies need to progress with the times, legislation needs to be changed and a clear career growth pattern should be shown– there is no need for preferential treatment as it actually stunts growth.”
Lack of job security and competitive career progression opportunities 
While women do appear to participate in the unskilled and semi-skilled work in the informal hospitality sector, where they are more likely to experience poor working conditions and inequality of opportunity and treatment, there is a marked underrepresentation of women in senior managerial positions. Giving them a voice and independence by becoming part of decision-making and managerial processes and being well-represented at the professional level rather than service or clerical levels would prevent women from leaving to more lucrative and stable industries. Absence of successful female role models and senior managers also limit recruiters’ expectations of what women could aspire to be in the industry. 
It was also revealed through the study that employees in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka found it challenging to earn a steady income through employment in the tourism sector due to its seasonal nature and weather patterns of the region.
Awareness gap
A leading reason for low numbers of female participation in the tourism sector is the lack of awareness of available job opportunities and required skills and qualifications in the field. 
“There is a community level awareness gap regarding tourism opportunities, a knowledge and skills gap, as well as language barriers which discourage women from joining the sector and hinder career progression” , Guest of Honour Dr. Paul Zeccola, First Secretary (Political and Economic) Australian High Commission in Sri Lanka said that the local tourism sector holds much potential for investment and growth, adding that the longstanding partnership between Australia and Sri Lanka will help build inclusive business models that strengthen women’s economic participation.
Irregular working hours and safety concerns
Irregular working hours, requirements for travel or relocation and shift work add stress and strain to women who are often expected to be the primary caregivers in their families. 
Local labour laws prevent women from working late night shifts, which could also be seen as a barrier to excel in the tourism sector. Not feeling safe in public transport when travelling at night, and unsafe accommodation often deter women from seeking job opportunities in hotels in Sri Lanka. 
Family care responsibilities and gender roles
Traditional gender ideologies assign the main responsibilities for raising children, caring for the elderly, and doing household work to women, often leaving less time for paid employment, thereby preventing them from progressing in their careers at the same pace as their male counterparts. 
Managing Director of Jetwing Travels, Shiromal Cooray, said that there are hardly any female tour guides in Sri Lanka mainly because they cannot be away from home for long tours that stretch for around 7 to 14 days. 
While this trend is reflective of the attitude towards women’s roles as mothers and caretakers, it is also indicative of the disproportionate burden of unpaid care work that women continue to shoulder. “Changing our social situation and creating an enabling environment for women to go out and work comfortably is essential.”

Reducing barriers to women’s participation

Implementing leadership development initiatives that nurture the skills and talents of women including mentorship programs, leadership workshops and networking opportunities would help women, now over-represented in lower paid jobs, to ascend to managerial positions. In this context, women holding senior positions in the industry should be held as roles models, starting from schools and higher education institutions. 
In Jaffna, Jetwing Hotels does its part in creating awareness by regularly conducting the Jetwing Youth Development Project to empower youth in the area to enjoy opportunities for higher education and meaningful career prospects. The programme offers training to school leavers – ranging from English language proficiency, skill development, on the job training – to prepare them for a career in the hospitality industry. 
Many are previously unaware of hotel operations and culture, assuming that hotels referred to the small roadside restaurants. Upon the successful completion of the program Jetwing Hotels guarantees employment to the youth within the Jetwing family unless chosen otherwise.  
Raising awareness about tourism in schools is also crucial to ensure that youth understand the benefits and challenges associated with the industry as well as available career progression paths.
Hilton Colombo also makes a conscious effort to foster a positive workplace culture and promote female leadership in managerial, front office and service positions. 
Chandi Dharmaratne, Chief People Officer of Dialog Axiata PLC revealed that within the IT sector, regular awareness initiatives are organized by various associations and professional bodies. 
These initiatives include industry weeks held in schools, specifically targeting girls, providing them with an understanding of the industry, available job opportunities and female mentorship through the presence of inspiring role models. “Role modeling plays a significant role, as young girls who are already successfully employed in the sector attend these fairs and inspire others to join by creating awareness and motivating young girls to pursue a career in the industry”.
Breaking negative stereotypes, stigma and bias based on old-school thinking patterns associated with the industry should be done through awareness campaigns. Active effort should be made to inform the public about employment practices, organisation culture and nature of work in hotels. 
It is important to highlight and commend companies that prioritize the safety and protection of their female employees, as this can encourage more women to join the industry through word-of-mouth referrals. 
This positive publicity can help change the perception that tourism and hotel industry is not female-friendly. Stakeholders across the tourism sector should collaborate to create a conducive and inclusive environment for women, thereby challenging these biases. 
Supporting work-life balance through flexible work arrangements, affordable childcare facilities, and parental leave policies can enable women to balance their professional and personal responsibilities more effectively. Sri Lanka should implement policies that foster a fairer allocation of family duties within households. One way to achieve this is by enhancing the benefits of paternity leave, motivating men to assume a greater role in childcare responsibilities. While such policies would encourage increase female participation in the workforce, it could also contribute to reshaping societal gender norms in a positive manner.
By implementing these solutions, the country can progress towards a future where women in the tourism sector are not only valued but also empowered to shape the industry’s trajectory.