Hospitality Sector In Sri Lanka Applauds New Policy Allowing Women To Work Night Shifts, Now Marking A Major Step Toward Its Gender Equality And Workforce Growth Of The Tourism Industry

Saturday, July 19, 2025

Sri Lanka Lifts Archaic Night Work Ban connected Women successful Tourism, Opening Prospects for More Jobs and Business. In a determination designed to liberalize Sri Lanka’s labour codes and bolster its tourism industry, nan authorities this week repealed a long-standing rule from 1954 that barred women from moving arsenic waitresses successful hotels and restaurants past 10 successful nan evening. Hospitality manufacture leaders and proponents of gender equality are lauding nan determination arsenic a captious measurement towards inclusivity, operational effectiveness, and economical description

Outdated Regulation Finally Overturned

The rule, adopted for nan first clip much than 7 decades ago, was a sharp-edged relic of antiquated labour practices that put insurmountable barriers connected women’s information successful 1 of Sri Lanka’s astir important industries. Yet this antiquated rule had someway survived economical maturation and swept speech nan transformations successful nan measurement we live, wasting nan ratio of galore hotels and restaurants that had developed being built connected nan presumption guests progressively would beryllium served successful nan evening alternatively than 70 years ago.

The minister, Nalinda Jayatissa that addressed nan media astatine nan play furniture property briefing, observed that nan rule had been decently scrutinized and considered to beryllium untenable pinch nan coming time economical climate. This awesome alteration successful argumentation was a nonstop consequence to semipermanent lobbying by stakeholder and manufacture representatives, who based on that nan argumentation was outdated and successful urgent request of an update to bespeak existent business practices and to bring nan argumentation successful statement pinch gender equality.

The toggle shape of nan hospitality industry

Under nan aged rule, women 18 and older were allowed to activity arsenic receptionists, arsenic a overgarment cheque attendant and successful nan restroom during nighttime hours, but were prohibited from moving successful hotels and restaurants aft 10 pm. This peculiar regularisation had agelong been a logistical nightmare for nan industry, pinch operations and nan standards of customer work during nan important second parts of nan evening severely compromised.

Women nary longer request to adhere to these curfews and thereby tin now activity nan aforesaid hours arsenic their antheral co-workers crossed each hospitality positions, reducing nan female unemployment and operational regulations. Experts successful nan assemblage expect to spot melodramatic changes successful diverseness and operational efficiency.

Women’s Participation successful nan Work Force Welcome nan Change

Chandara Wickramasinghe, well-known hotelier and proprietor of Thema Collection that launched nan first all-woman managed edifice present successful Sri Lanka, has congratulated nan authorities connected nan amendment. He brought retired nan ridiculousness of nan aged lockdown restrictions by comparing nan basal roles of nurses (during nan night), usually conducted astatine night, to nan requirements of nan hospitality manufacture and nan aged law’s unreasonableness. Wickremesinghe sees this alteration arsenic nan opening to boost women’s workforce information from nan existent 10 percent and thief women beryllium included successful activities that springiness them economical and societal empowerment.

M Shanthikumar, president, Hotels Association of Sri Lanka said that nan Sri Lankan hoteliers shared nan excitement, while reiterating nan imperative of offering safe, secure, and supportive places for nan manufacture to return advantage of nan imaginable afforded done nan caller regulatory change. It is anticipated nan wide implementation of enhanced support accommodation will thief summation nan proportionality of women entering and remaining successful hospitality jobs.

Strategic Influence connected Tourism Growth and Economical Revival

Tourism is 1 of nan pillars of Sri Lanka’s system and truthful substantially contributes to nationalist income, employment. Sri Lanka’s publication much 8 hours agone Tourism is The Best Sri Lankan manufacture was deed aft nan outbreak of world economical fluctuations and nan covid-19 Sri Lanka suffered awesome setbacks successful nan tourism sector. Two cardinal visitors visited nan state successful 2024, travelling chiefly from India, Russia, nan United Kingdom, Germany, and China. Sri Lanka’s sights are now group connected 2.5 cardinal world arrivals successful 2025, arsenic we aspire to go established arsenic 1 of astir favored world destinations.

The abolition of rigid labour laws is highly accordant pinch nan wide strategies of Sri Lanka for economical recovery, and will boost nan world image for nan state arsenic good arsenic its occurrence to pull investments. Sri Lanka has made its people arsenic a modern, forward-thinking state that cares for sustainable improvement and societal justice, by addressing gender inequality and by upgrading employment practices.

Strengthening International Appeal and Competitiveness

The repealing of nan prohibition connected nighttime clip activity for women is simply a nonstop use to Sri Lanka’s wide world competitiveness successful nan hospitality industry. At a clip erstwhile world travellers are progressively focused connected diversity, equality and nan ethical backgrounds of their chosen destinations, Sri Lanka’s strides successful inclusive employment onslaught a chord pinch tourists.

Furthermore, this measurement besides enhances Sri Lanka’s attractiveness to world edifice investors, operators, and edifice guidance chains arsenic a spot to put and support, pinch an accommodating and equitable regulatory regime. Decision-makers expect to spot accrued world collaborations and co-operations, starring to a heightened maturation successful nan tourism manufacture and economy.

Ensuring Sustainable and Inclusive Development

Industry officials and lawmakers besides greeted nan alteration pinch enthusiasm, but besides noted nan request to put different policies successful spot to return advantage of nan opportunity. One specified measurement is creating accommodation specified arsenic women proscription and safe enactment installation for woman labor who complete their activity precocious hours.

Conclusion: A Progressive Step Forward

The announcement of nan repeal of Sri Lanka’s regressive labour rule is an historical measurement successful nan country’s progression towards gender equality and economical development. By implementing this forward-thinking development, Sri Lanka strengthens not only nan operational capacity of its robust tourism sector, but besides its country’s world branding arsenic nan destination that is unfastened to each and poised for sustainable growth.