Asia Invest seminar of tourism professional

International Regional Seminar of Small & Medium Accommodation Providers (SMAPs) was held on August 19. Hotel Association Nepal (HAN), International School of Tourism & Hotel Management (IST), Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (ITH), Sri Lankan Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM) and Salzburg University, Austria, participated in the seminar.

European Union’s (EU) Asia Invest project has established Training Academies in Nepal and Sri Lanka under the supervision of the local partners Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).

Prasidha Bahadur Panday, president of HAN spoke about the role of HAN in tourism promotion in Nepal, other tourism related activities, SMAPs sustainability and its contribution for the overall development in Nepal.

Dr Heidi Burkhart, general manager, Hilfserk Austria International spoke about the role of HWA and community-based tourism in Nepal and other countries.

Upali D Silva, Director of SLTDA spoke about the role of SLTDA in tourism promotion in Sri Lanka, other tourism related activities, and SMAPs contribution to the overall development of Sri Lanka.

Narendra Bajracharya, CEO of International School of Tourism & Hotel Management spoke about the role of private sector in tourism.

European Union’s Asia Invest project ‘Strengthening the Capacities of Small and Medium sized Accommodation Providers’ (SMAPs) worked with 80 Nepali and 40 Sri Lankan SMAPs simultaneously.

The programme was carried out in Chitwan, Nagarkot, Pokhara and Lumbini in Nepal.

Participants were provided with training booklets, tool kits, audio video trainings, and personal coaching by the tourism and IT experts in respective fields.

Sourced=thehimalayantimes