Supporting the speedy revival of the tourism industry in Sri Lanka, the European Union (EU) Delegation to Sri Lanka, has allocated funds to help strengthen the local wellness tourism capacity to transform the country into an attractive destination.

This will be carried out under the guidance of Sri Lanka Tourism. The resulting ‘Sri Lanka Wellness Tourism Stakeholder Project’ was officially launched on 15 February 2022, the Sri Lanka Tourism development Authority said.

The launch involved key stakeholders of the project where details of the project have been shared, followed by a group discussion on wellness tourism capacity development.

A follow up meeting will be held on the 25th of February to share findings and recommendations from all stakeholder meetings, site meetings and discussions with wellness tourism resorts, hotels and training providers.

A presentation of the findings determined through surveys carried out amongst wellness tourism organisations and training providers will also be presented this month.

The EU Delegation has contracted IBF International Consulting to undertake a technical assistance assignment to develop short term course curricula for Ayurveda therapists and wellness facility management in Sri Lanka in order to provide an authentic experience to tourists to grow the wellness tourism component for the country.

Chairperson of Sri Lanka Tourism, Kimarli Fernando commented, “Wellness and nature are high on the priority list for travellers at present and Sri Lanka has much to offer on both counts. Considering the lush greenery, nature, Ayurveda, yoga, spirituality and culture in Sri Lanka, it is one of the top wellness destinations in the world and we are grateful to the EU Delegation in Sri Lanka for recognising and investing in building further capacity for the country to promote this niche tourism. This partnership will help strengthen Sri Lanka’s wellness tourism product.”

The project will also consist of a ‘train the trainer’ and a supervised pilot roll-out course. Paul Penfold (Project Team Leader) will be in Sri Lanka for a two-week mission to meet stakeholders and assess needs together with Dr. Pushpika Attanayake (National Expert) from 14 – 26 February.

Paul Penfold, MEd, is an experienced development consultant specialising in tourism strategy, HRD, educational technology, curriculum development, program design and quality management. He has lived and worked in Asia (including Sri Lanka) for more than 25 years and has also taught hospitality/tourism in universities in Hong Kong, Myanmar, China and Vietnam.

Dr. Pushpika Attanayake is an Ayurveda consultant, researcher, and a wellness expert with over 15 years of experience in Sri Lanka and overseas. Her areas of expertise extend to yoga, naturopathy, and counselling. She is a visiting lecturer in Ayurveda and Wellness Tourism at the University of Colombo, and has worked as an Ayurvedic Consultant/Spa Manager for leading hotels, including the Fortress Resort and Spa and Anantara Kalutara Resort, as well as the Royal Ayurveda, in Dubai Healthcare City. She has also served a stint at the Sri Lanka Ayurvedic Drug Corporation.

With the wellness traveller generating at least five times more earnings than the standard tourist, Sri Lanka Tourism is strategically working with key stakeholders to position the destination to cater to the demands of this high yielding segment. With the assistance of external experts, the Authorities are focusing on product and infrastructure development, training and guidance to the SME sector and the larger industry, targeted marketing and promoting investor opportunities.