Representatives from the tourism sector in Sri Lanka have completed a study tour as a part of the ‘Sustainable Tourism Development’ Short Course Award program.

The group, consisting of 25 tourism practitioners, government officers and university academics, participated in a range of workshops, seminars and site visits. They visited a vast array of tourist locations including the Noosa Biosphere Reserve, Cairns foreshore, Port Douglas, the Temple of Hou Wang and the Daintree Rainforest, gaining knowledge to influence their professional fields and communities.

The ‘Sustainable Tourism Development’ Short Course Award program for South and West Asia has had a positive impact on participants.   The Australia Awards Short Course is designed to develop more effective training for tourism professionals in developing countries.  Facilitated by Griffith Institute of Tourism and the University of the Sunshine Coast with assistance from Griffith’s International Business Development Unit and funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the study tour is a valuable component for gaining insights into ‘best practice’ tourism.

Participants aim to develop better practices and understandings of areas such as destination governance, international-ready business, RTO performance, business planning and innovation, which can be implemented in Sri Lanka in the future.

With the long-term goal of aligning the program with the Sri Lanka Tourism Strategic Plan 2017-2020, the representatives hope to work towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals by 2025.

The group returned to Sri Lanka on March 31, where they will translate their newfound knowledge to contribute to Sri Lanka’s development, focusing on the economic benefits of tourism and creating gainful employment through community engagement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the third Awards Program GIFT has collaborated on.  The previous two have been with tourist representatives from Indonesia.

Outcomes from the Indonesian program include: 

Project Project Achievement
Training local people in a pottery village about the importance of collaboration.

This village makes traditional pottery and has significant potential as a tourist attraction. However, it needs further development to attract tourists.

 Collaborated with the local government (Tourism and Culture) to develop the human resources by providing training and workshop in the tourism industry. Also, helped local community in promoting their products.
Encourage hotel sector to adopt a Green Hotel Standard. Developing new local tourism product.
  •  Collaborated with the Ministry of Manpower of Indonesia, Hanif Dakhiri, during his visit in Labuan Bajo in 29 February 2016
  • Developed a standard profession certification board to prepare human resource for the ASEAN community
  • Promoted Labuan Bajo in Berlin (9-13 March 2016)
  • Established the Profession Certification Board
  • Developed policies, standards, norms, guidelines and mechanisms as well as provided some technical guidance through licensing
  • Provided Human Resource training and workshop in Labuan Bajo, NTT
  • Collaborated with Deputy Assistant for Human Resources Development of Tourism – in early 2017 March – August 2017
  • Collaborated with Department of Manpower in Labuan Bajo – Training Centre for Hotel and Restaurant. Target to certify 65,000 workers
Design a suitable one-hour radio program of tourism; broadcasting on Radio Republic Indonesia in Ende Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province
  • Trainer for hospitality coaching in Bajawa, NTT
  • Collaborated with Ferdinand Radawara (AAI 1)
  • Co-operation with the Government of Ngada.
Digital marketing

Akademi Pariwisata
  • Workshop to create content for promoting tour with the students at Diploma tour and travel.
  • Managing the beach destination with students at Mataram Tourism School.
  • Tourism awareness workshop for guides at National Park Tambora Mountain, Dompu.
  • Toilet management workshop and prayer place at a place of a tourism destination.
A Self-Guided Book to Assess Tourism Governance
  • Published UNWTO book chapter with Professor Noel Scott (September 2017):  Chapter 3, Governance and Institutional Effectiveness
  • Australia Awards Alumni Grant Scheme II Awardee. Trained 2 trainers at the Tourism Department Raja Ampat. This is to produce Tourism Government Index (April 2017 – February 2018)
  • Fellowship at the Hague Academy for Local Governance in Netherland. To study conflict, rule of law and local security
  • Participated in the AAI Alumni Professional Development Program
  • Awarded Australia Award PhD scholarship in Public Policy from The University of Melbourne
Network development, corporation & promotion of Rote Ndao Tourism
  • Collaborated with local government tourism and involved in all activities such as survey for a local destination tourism
  • Event organiser for surfing competition held by the local tourism government
  • Created a tourism website about Rote at www.wonderfulrote.com to promote tourism packages about Rote
  • Planning to Develop Rote Tourist Information Centre in 2018
Creative Industry Exhibition and Marketing Workshop 9-12 November 2016 Taught people in the community to create handicrafts from local raw materials
Writing a blog guide book for destinations on Lombok I produced 19 articles, some of which went viral. My blog reached 200,000 in January 2017. I have also been asked to do reviews  and contacted to cover activities from national and multinational companies. Various writing projects have included:

  • reviews for KRENK
  • NE express on ecommerce
  • writing for Yayasan Darma Bakti Astra with home industry in Mataram.
  • Writing for storycenter.org
  • Writing and endorsing Wanderlust Indonesia
  • Writing for Blue Bird in supporting West Nusa Tenggara Educational programs
  •  Contributor for Terrorism Eradication Commission of Indonesia/Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Terorisme.

Volunteering activities (Community Development) have included:

  • Beach cleaning involving more than 5 institutions and communities on Lombok
  • Backpacking Library: Lombok Blogger and EduLand travel to promote literacy to remote areas on Lombok Island