Dr. Mahesh Priyadarshana, President of the Sri Lanka Institute of National Tourist Guide Lecturers, stresses the importance of the national duty of NTGLs in revamping tourism in Sri Lanka to face the threat posed by COVID-19.
Ramayana Yatra Training Program
A number of National Tourist Guide Lecturers, and others involved in the tourism sector, are currently taking part in a free online Ramayana Yatra Training Program offered under the guidance of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). Tours based on the Ramayana epic have been gaining popularity among Asian tourists in the past few decades, and the highest number of visitors to Sri Lanka now happen to be from India.
The eight-day program is presented by Mr. Bala Sankuratri, author of My Name Is Ravana, which is hailed as Sri Lanka’s perspective of Ramayana. On Day 3, Mr. Nilesh Nilkanth Oak, author of The Historic Rama: Indian Civilization at the End of Pleistocene among other books, appeared as a guest lecturer from the USA to provide a scientific justification of the Ramayana timeline.
The organisers are also planning to have a training tour led by Mr. Sankuratri after the Covid-19 threat eases off.
Awakening Tourism – A Panel Discussion on Zoom
Vice President of the Sri Lanka Institute of National Tourist Guide Lecturers Mr. Pem Wicramasinghe will participate in a Zoom panel discussion organised by the Sri Lanka Tourism Toastmasters Club and SriLankan Airlines Toastmasters Club on the revival of tourism in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis.
Time: Jun 21, 2020 06:45 PM Asia/Colombo
Meeting ID: 831 8508 0864
Password: 373729
NTGL Licence renewal for 2021 – free of cost
SLTDA acts proactively to minimise COVID-19 burden on Tourism stake holders
In pursuant to their previous undertaking of relieving the burden of licensing fees for 2020, SLTDA Director – Standards and Quality Assurance announced their plan to continue the relief measures for the coming year 2021 too.
This allows us as stakeholders to plan ahead of our survival over the difficult periods during the pandemic.
Further relief measures will be considered in due course.
Sri Lanka readying to welcome tourists from 1 August
Following the successful containment of COVID-19, Sri Lanka Tourism said yesterday it is readying to welcome travellers from across the world, assuring further health safety measures from 1 August though new conditions apply.
Apart from multiple PCR tests, all future tourists will be required to apply for visa online, pay a flat fee of $ 100 each (except nationals from countries where there is reciprocal fee-free visa) and minimum stay of five nights at hotels and resorts certified to be compliant with COVID-19 health safety guidelines.
“Sri Lanka Tourism will provide international visitors with the highest standards of safety as we embrace tourists from across the world to experience the beauty of our paradise island once more,” Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Kimarli Fernando said.
(DailyFT)