Raising the bar in 2026
Branding Sri Lanka as a new tourist destination is underway according to the country’s Minister of Tourism. When it is rolled out (eventually), it has to be more than just a campaign. It presents an enormous opportunity to refresh tourism and showcase Sri Lanka’s warmth, natural beauty, and cultural richness to the world. It represents a promise to the world, and to us, that Sri Lanka is a destination that travellers will fall in love with.
To fulfill that promise our hospitality industry must seize the opportunity and step up with a clear call to evolve and adapt. This is the moment to align with travellers’ values and foster deeper connections and the time to act – by understanding what is achievable and relevant and to reorganize, reform, and reimagine the next phase of Sri Lanka’s tourism growth. The industry stands at a crossroads. Whilst the physical infrastructure of some hotels and resorts is world-class, regrettably, it is the soul of our service that needs much rejuvenation.
In many hotels, the bellhops who brought bags to life (and to the guest rooms), adding extra personality and flow to the arrival experience have simply vanished between zones. Nowadays, unless one stays at a 5-star hotel, one has to carry ones’ luggage upto the rooms. While this may be a minor inconvenience to many, it reflects something larger – a missing touch of care, which seems to be spreading everywhere.
Since of late, what strikes me throughout my visits to hotels and restaurants is that the genuine Sri Lankan hospitality that once defined our tourism brand – the warm smiles and the ‘Ayubowan’ greeting that came from the heart – seems to be all fading fast.
I get it that hiring workers is a challenge that has to be overcome, but we somehow need to onboard Sri Lankans who are trained and motivated to lead the frontlines of our industry. Being polite and hardworking is well and good, but not good enough. We need every staff member from the front desk to the restaurant and the housekeeping staff to be effervescent and be proud torch-bearers for the hospitality industry.
Our staff must recapture that inherent ability to connect with people, to make guests feel at home – it is what makes our tourism unique. Losing it can relegate us to becoming just another destination, not the destination. Training should go beyond technical skills. Staff must learn the art of service with a heart. Encourage emotional intelligence, cultural understanding, and proactive problem-solving.
Hotels and Restaurants can learn matters of the heart from street vendors
If you want to understand the purest form of hospitality, you will not find it in a luxury resort or a 5-star restaurant. You will find it on the streets of most cities in Asia, where vendors with plastic stools and folding tables have mastered what many brands still struggle to deliver. These vendors don’t follow any SOPs, have no shiny menu cards, loyalty programme or state of the art technology – and yet they build a loyal customer base that can be the envy of major brands.
The psychology of what they do is noteworthy. As soon as you walk up, you are acknowledged. They make eye contact and smile like you are a regular even on your first visit. There is no sizing up of your shoes, your watch, or your attire. That simple feeling of belonging is something most hotels and restaurants should focus on far more than they do. To them, you are simply a guest. In hospitality, we often overcomplicate guest recognition with elaborate CRM systems and scripted greetings. Street vendors do it instinctively.
Hospitality at its best is not about perfection, it is about heart. The brands that win in the next decade will be the ones that stop complicating excessively, start caring more deeply, and focus on making people feel like they belong. Our industry has two names – hospitality first and business last. Let’s keep it that way, because at the end of the day, great hospitality is not a transaction. It is a human exchange.
Let it now be the moment we rediscover the heart of what makes Sri Lanka special - our people.
Shafeek Wahab - Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Trainer, Motivational Speaker, Mystery Guest Auditor, Ex-Hotelier
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