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Tourism a boon to Trinco; insufficient skilled personnel its bane
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Tourists enjoy the sunset
Tourism is booming in the Trincomalee district with some residents now converting their houses into guest houses and tourist hotels, with more and more hotels and guest houses coming up within the past year.
Most of the hotels with swimming pools, boat services and spas, have come up along the Nilaveli coast, which has been a traditional tourist attraction over the years.
However, finding staff for the tourist hotels, has always been an issue, with most of the trained and experienced staff coming from outside places such as Colombo, Negombo, Galle, Kandy and Dambulla, among other areas.
“The locals are missing out on the job opportunities as they lack language skills and training. If the government provides training for them at local institutions, it will help reduce the unemployment problem,” said the manager of a newly opened hotel.
“The locals are entering the trade, but its very slow and will take time,” he added.
One of the main issues confronting youth looking for gainful employment is the absence of other industries, which leaves them with little to choose from.