SLTDA launches NTSP campaign to elevate national tourism quality and standards
by Claude Gunasekera
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) officially launched its nationwide capacity-building campaign, “Grow your Tourism Business with National Tourism Skilling Programme (NTSP),” August 31, from the scenic regional hub of Ella. Directed under the leadership of the Tourism Deputy Minister, Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe, the comprehensive initiative aims to transform micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by accelerating their digital readiness and business formalization across the local hospitality ecosystem.
The entire islandwide operation is under the direct coordination of Ms. Tharanga Rupasinghe, the SLTDA Director of Standards and Quality Assurance, ensuring that all rural operators align seamlessly with international hospitality standards. By utilizing the framework of the NTSP, the campaign focuses on delivering essential digital payment tools, modern online marketing insights, and compliance frameworks directly to village-level enterprises, handcraft artisans, and independent tour operators. Speaking at the launch event in Ella, Tourism Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe emphasised that sustainable growth in the travel sector relies heavily on empowering smaller stakeholders to become resilient, data-driven participants in the modern market. “True economic resilience in our tourism sector cannot be achieved through large-scale infrastructure alone, but must be built from the ground up by transforming our local communities and regional MSMEs into direct, digitally enabled beneficiaries of global travel traffic,” Prof. Ranasinghe noted. Through this synchronized, localized training approach, the SLTDA intends to systematically protect cultural heritage while elevating the service quality benchmarks of regional travel hotspots nationwide.
Regional hospitality groups, led by the Ella Tourism Association, have strongly welcomed the launch of the SLTDA national skilling campaign, calling it a vital step toward safeguarding the destination’s international reputation. Local operators noted that rapid commercial growth in the Uva Province has highlighted an urgent need for structural standardization, making the arrival of the National Tourism Skilling Programme (NTSP) highly timely. The grassroots response focused heavily on the benefits of formalization and digital integration for the region’s diverse service sector. The Ella Homestay Owners Collective praised the focus on digital payment tools, noting that transition support will help smaller vendors capture direct bookings and reduce their reliance on third-party booking commissions.
The Uva Tuk-Tuk and Adventure Guides Association highlighted that the safety and compliance training will build trust with high-spending international travelers, effectively raising service quality benchmarks across the town. Local association leaders emphasized that having Ms. Tharanga Rupasinghe, SLTDA Director of Standards and Quality Assurance, directly coordinate the field training ensures the program addresses practical, local challenges rather than just theoretical rules. Following the initial rollout, regional committees have pledged to work alongside the SLTDA to ensure that even the smallest village artisans and micro-enterprises achieve official registration, positioning Ella as a model hub for high-quality, community-driven sustainable tourism.
Source: The Island
