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SLITHM to become a university

12 Apr 2021

 

  • Talks underway with Education Ministry 

  • New tourism law to amalgamate key institutions

    The process of converting the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM) into a university has begun, according to Minister of Tourism Prasanna Ranatunga. “Turning the SLITHM into a university and giving it degree-awarding status would help in attracting young people to the hotel industry.” Discussions have commenced with the Ministry of Education in this regard, according to Ranatunga. In addition, Ranatunga further said that he hopes to have discussions with international universities that are implementing these courses which have earned a high reputation in the field of hotel management. Ranatunga also explained about the repeal of the Tourism Act, No. 38 of 2005 and the drafting of a new Tourism Act. According to the proposed Act, the focus is on merging the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), and the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) while maintaining the SLITHM as a separate entity. He also hoped that the tourism industry would recover gradually in the next six months with the introduction of the Covid-19 vaccine. The Minister said that he hopes to obtain the support of the trade unions to take these institutions forward through mutual understanding and thus, requested representatives to submit any ideas or suggestions regarding the institutions at any time.


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