Aitken Spence Travels with the staff of Turyaa Kalutara and the local community conducted an environmental and professional empowerment program recently.
Aitken Spence Travels conducted an educational workshop for local community members whose livelihoods depend on tourism. The workshop covered topics such as, how to interact with tourists, how to be a professional service provider and how to conserve the environment that contributes to their profession and the industry.
The key facilitator for the program was Asst. Director for Tourism Development and Community Relations, of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Palitha Pushpa Kumara .
As a part of the engagement, Aitken Spence Travels and Turyaa Kalutara resort staff joined the local community in a beach cleaning exercise on the Kalutara beach recently which coincided with the International Ozone Conservation Day which fell on September 16.
Chief Operating Officer Aitken Spence Travels, Tikiri Ellapola said, “We believe this program will be the beginning of a positive relationship in engaging the community in a different way going beyond our core business objectives of being a Destination Management Company (DMC). As Sri Lanka’s number 1 DMC we will be the bridge between the Hotel and the area community to develop sustainable programs that are marketable with overseas agents.”
“This way the community will be engaged in an organised manner to achieve a common objective. We are thankful to the SLTDA’s Asst. Director of Community Relations for sharing his expertise and time with us,” he said.