Staff shortage in hotels in 5 years
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry’s dynamics are bound to change in five years with more foreign workers joining the sector but this could be turned around if at least half the three wheel drivers opt to work in leisure.
Jetwing Chairman Hiran Cooray spelt out the booming problem to the Business Times on Tuesday stating that “If half of the three wheel personnel become hotel personnel then we can staff our hotels with Sri Lankans”.
He was alluring to the notion that in time to come the tourism industry is bound to face a problem in terms of shortage of staff to man the hotels in particular parallel to the rising tourist traffic to the country.
“We are challenged,” he said adding that if the tourism numbers were to rise and more hotels were to come up there could be a shortage in future, in about five years’ time.
“If the trend continues in tourism arrivals, product development and the arrival figure are four million or more then there can be a shortage of service staff,” he explained.
Mr. Cooray noted that if more Sri Lankans do not join the industry then “we will have to look at options from South Asia to fill those needs”.
Countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and India were likely to be the best bets for the tourism industry to gather workers from.
However, working on this challenge he pointed out that should the three wheel personnel take to the leisure sector then it would be sufficient to staff the sector for some time at least.
Moreover, he noted, “It will reduce the money of three wheels and it’s a responsible way of converting them and making them productive to the country.”
Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) 2016 data indicates that as in the previous years, a majority of the employees were in the accommodation and catering sector that comprises 81 per cent of the total direct employment. The total direct employment in hotels and restaurants were 118, 258.