HR Trends in Sri Lanka’s Hospitality and Tourism Sector (2025)
Introduction
With the rising demand within the industry, the competition automatically continues. Therefore, HR professionals in the industry play a crucial role in implementing strategies that align with the organisational needs since strategies drive guest satisfaction, service excellence, organisational growth and the overall reputation of the organisation.
The main challenge faced by HR professionals:
1. Talent Shortage and Skills Mismatch
One of the greatest challenges faced by HR leaders today is the shortage of skilled employees and difficulty in attracting them to the industry. After the pandemic, employees who were in the tourism industry had shifted their careers in another direction. This created vacancies across operational, culinary, and front office roles. Therefore, HR leaders need to collaborate with vocational training institutes, the Sri Lanka Hotel School and other hospitality management training institutes to refill their talent pools. Additionally, cross training, in house training and language competency training programs can be conducted within the organization to enhance existing employees' effectiveness.
2. Implementing technology and developing digital skills.
Today, the industry is undergoing a
rapid digital transition. AI-driven booking engines and automated check-in
systems are reshaping what guests anticipate.
This change demands that tech-skilled employees and HR leaders must
provide necessary training and new opportunities to enhance their tech-enabled
service skills. Millennial and Gen Z adapt to the new technology very fast, but Gen X adopt to the high tech at slower pace. Therefore, HR leaders must address this issues carefully and thoughtfully.
3. Gen Z's Expectations.
Gen Z exhibit great interest in joining the hospitality industry with the goal of migrating. Adding to this, they prioritise career development, innovation, meaningful duties and responsibilities, fair compensation, supportive leadership and a flexible work schedule. They often try to join well-established hotels, as it provides high recognition to their career ladder. Therefore, introducing a mentorship-based work environment can improve employee retention and foster a positive culture (HR Cloud, 2025).
4. Employee Well-being.
The working schedule in the hospitality
industry is not a standard 8-to-5-hour schedule. Employees often work long hours under
high pressure, especially during the peak season, without having enough rest and
meals, which directly affects their well-being. Therefore, recruiting seasonal
staff to minimise pressure and workload and providing proper lodging facilities, transportation,
meals, uniforms and other basic requirements are essential factors, as well as
considering their mental well-being. These
factors may help reduce turnover and maintain excellent guest service experience. Some of the
reputed hotel chains maintain good HR practices, such as Jetwing, Cinnamon,
Aitken Spence, Uga, and Resplendent Ceylon (SLTDA, 2025).
5. Negative public perceptions exist.
Female employees working in the hotel industry face negative public perceptions in the Sri Lankan context. Additionally, the support from family gives an impact to engage their duties successfully. Therefore, it is a challenge to attract skilled female staff to the industry. In Sri Lanka, many reputable hotels promote various types of programmes to attract female staff to emphasise that the hotel industry is a safe and well-recognised industry. Additionally, HR leaders should implement transparent policies for female staff (The Guardian, 2025). "Amba Yalu -Kandalama'' managed by Themacollection, has already proven that this perception is completely wrong, and this is the first hotel entirely operated by female staff.
As Sri Lanka’s hospitality and tourism industry shows steady growth in 2025, the role of HR professionals becomes more crucial than ever. It is time to move forward fast from traditional HR to modern HR practices aligned with the global context. Employing uniquely talented staff, seasonal hiring, employer branding, proper training such as cross-training, customer service, and stress management, and providing welfare facilities are the most important factors to be considered carefully to ensure an excellent guest service experience (HR Cloud, 2025).
Reference
(Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance, 2025) BBC Travel ranks Sri Lanka among the 25 Best Places to Travel in 2025 [Available at]: https://www.srilankatourismalliance.com/news-and-updates/bbc-travel-ranks-sri-lanka-among-the-25-best-places-to-travel-in-2025/#:~:text=BBC%20Travel%20ranks%20Sri%20Lanka,Read%20more%20here [Accessed: November 19, 2025]
(Askarov, R. 2024) Monitask HR in the Hospitality Industry [Available at]: https://www.monitask.com/en/hr-glossary/hr-in-the-hospitality-industry#:~:text=Leadership%20Development,potential%20employees%20for%%2020%20leadership%20roles [Accessed November 20, 2025]
(HR Cloud, 2025) HR Challenges in the Hospitality Industry [Available at]: https://www.hrcloud.com/blog/9-hr-challenges-in-the-hospitality-industry [Accessed November 20, 2025]
(Sarah. J, 2025) The Guardian From Sri Lanka to Tanzania: the pioneering hotels run entirely by women [Available at]: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/may/05/from-sri-lanka-to-tanzania-the-pioneering-hotels-run-entirely-by- women#:~:text=It%20hasn't%20always%20been,Read%20more [Accessed November 20, 2025].
AmbaYalu Kandalama [Online] [Available at]: https://www.themacollection.com/amba-yaalu- kandalama/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Google&utm_campaign=Business%20Profile [Accessed November 22, 2025]
The main HR trends in Sri Lanka's hospitality and tourism industry are highlighted in this well-organized and educational blog. I liked how you deal with issues like staff happiness, Gen Z desires, digital skills, and shortages in talent while offering viable solutions. This piece will be extremely helpful and relevant for both employees and managers in businesses due to its focus on modern HR procedures along with business examples.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your thoughtful remark. Your comments highlight how crucial it is for Sri Lanka's hotel industry to implement contemporary HR procedures.
DeleteGreat insights! The hospitality and tourism sector is evolving rapidly, and staying updated on HR trends is key to attracting and retaining top talent in Sri Lanka
ReplyDeleteThis blog highlights how HR practices such as training, mentoring and employee well-being can improve service quality and staff retention.The blog could be further developed by including examples or data that further demonstrate how specific HR strategies have been implemented in hotels in Sri Lanka.
ReplyDeleteThe main HR trends in Sri Lanka's hospitality and tourism industry for 2025 are examined in this blog post in a highly useful and organized manner. It effectively addresses challenges such as talent shortage, digital skill gaps, Gen Z expectations, and the unique issue of negative public perception toward female employees, offering clear strategic implications for HR professionals.
ReplyDeleteThis is a well-structured and insightful overview of the current HR trends in Sri Lanka’s hospitality and tourism sector. You clearly highlight the industry’s growth, the key challenges HR professionals face, and the practical strategies needed to respond. The focus on talent shortages, digital transformation, Gen Z expectations, employee well-being, and gender-related barriers makes the discussion timely and highly relevant. The use of local data and examples strengthens the analysis and adds strong contextual value. Overall, a concise and informative piece.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your feedback. I sincerely appreciate your recognition of the main topics, which include gender-related issues, Gen Z aspirations, digital change, talent shortages, and employee well-being. Hearing that the local perspectives and examples enhanced the conversation is heartening.
DeleteThis article shows very well the challenges HR faces in Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry. Talent shortage, digital skills, employee well-being, and gender perceptions are really important issues. It also shows how good HR practices can improve employee satisfaction and guest experience
ReplyDeleteAs someone working in Sri Lanka’s hospitality sector, I can truly relate to the challenges highlighted here. Talent shortages and the need for digital skills are realities we face daily, especially when trying to balance guest expectations with operational demands. Gen Z joining our teams brings fresh energy, but also requires us to rethink how we mentor and support them. Employee well-being is another area we cannot overlook—long hours and seasonal pressures are part of our industry, yet ensuring proper rest, facilities, and recognition makes all the difference in service quality. I also appreciate the emphasis on changing public perceptions, particularly for female staff, because inclusivity and safety are essential for our industry’s future. This article captures the pulse of what HR leaders and hoteliers must focus on in 2025: modern practices, empathy, and strategic thinking to keep Sri Lanka’s hospitality world-class
ReplyDeleteI appreciate you sharing this well-considered and experience-based viewpoint. Your own knowledge in the field adds a great deal of value to this conversation. Hearing that there is consensus on the importance of enhancing digital skills, assisting Gen Z workers, considering wellbeing first, and fostering inclusivity—particularly for female employees—is heartening. The significance of contemporary, compassionate, and strategic HR practices for 2025 and beyond is amply supported by your thoughts.
Delete