COLOMBO – The British High Commission and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development
Authority (SLTDA) introduced a Counter-Terrorism Awareness eLearning Platform aimed at
enhancing security awareness and resilience within Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. Modelled after
the UK’s successful Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) initiative, this online course equips tourism
professionals with the skills to identify and address potential threats, ensuring a safer
environment for visitors and locals.
A launch event on 5 March was attended by Deputy Minister of Tourism Prof. Ruwan
Ranasinghe and Acting British High Commissioner for Sri Lanka, Lisa Whanstall. Key stakeholders
from the tourism sector, emergency services, and government agencies participated.
Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe stressed the importance of safety as Sri Lanka’s tourism industry
continues to grow:
“Tourism is vital to our economy, and a secure environment is essential for both visitors and
locals. This programme is a crucial step towards preparing our industry for future challenges.”
Acting British High Commissioner Lisa Whanstall commented,
“We are proud to lend UK expertise to enhance Sri Lanka’s tourism capacity. This training will
help improve security practices in the tourism industry, building confidence in security
awareness. We know this is important to local communities and to travellers. We hope to see
British visitor numbers continue to rise in the years ahead.”
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SLTDA Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam, in a statement, emphasized the organisations
commitment to safety:
“As we see a re-growth in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, visitor and staff safety remain top
priorities. This eLearning course will empower our professionals to detect and respond to
security threats, fostering greater confidence in the capacity of our industry.”
Key Features of the eLearning Platform
- Multilingual Access: Available in Sinhala and Tamil for broad accessibility.
- Comprehensive Content: Covers recognizing suspicious behaviour, identifying
vulnerabilities, and managing potential threats. - Certification: Participants will earn certificates jointly issued by SLTDA and the British
High Commission upon completion. - Flexible Learning: A 60-90-minute online course accessible anytime.
- Open to All: Designed for everyone in the tourism sector, from hoteliers to tour
operators.
Building on previous counter-terrorism training that has already reached over 3,000 industry
stakeholders in the past three years, this eLearning platform is part of an ongoing effort to
reinforce safety and bolster Sri Lanka’s reputation as a secure and welcoming destination.
Tourism professionals are encouraged to enrol to better prepare their teams for potential
security challenges and improve overall safety standards. For more information or to register,
visit www.ctatraining.lk or contact the Standards and Quality Assurance Division of the SLTDA.
Background
The British High Commission and SLTDA have long been committed to enhancing safety in Sri
Lanka’s tourism industry, continuously collaborating to build a secure and resilient destination for local and international visitors
