Building on the momentum of its groundbreaking “Women in Tourism” initiative, Intrepid Travel Colombo, in collaboration with the Market Development Facility (MDF) and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), successfully conducted another impactful workshop—this time focusing on women business owners in the tourism sector.
Held in Kandy on Saturday, 5th April, the session brought together 15 dynamic female business owners from the Central Province with a shared passion for responsible tourism and sustainable business. The workshop forms part of Intrepid’s ongoing commitment to advancing gender equality and empowering women across the tourism value chain in Sri Lanka and follows the inaugural training program held in September last year which targeted aspiring female tour leaders.
This insightful session was tailored to uplift and support women who are already leading or managing businesses within the tourism ecosystem, and hailing from the Central Province.
“This was an impactful day of learning, sharing, and growing together,” said Poornaka Delpachitra, Country GM of Intrepid. “Our focus this time was on women business owners—those who are already shaping Sri Lanka’s tourism industry in meaningful ways but often face unique challenges in accessing resources, networks, and recognition. By creating a space for peer connection, leadership development, and shared learning, we’re investing in a stronger, more inclusive tourism sector.”
The training session was designed to strengthen key leadership and entrepreneurial skills such as business strategy, confidence-building, marketing, and innovation in sustainable tourism. It also provided participants with valuable networking opportunities and a sense of solidarity, reinforcing the message that women are not alone in their journeys.
All participants of the workshop walked away feeling inspired, supported, and more confident in how they run their businesses, with a renewed sense of purpose and a strong belief that they have an important role to play in shaping the future of tourism in Sri Lanka.
Representing Intrepid’s long-standing partner in this initiative, Maryam Piracha, Country Director – Sri Lanka at MDF, added, “We are pleased to see the continued progress of our partnership with Intrepid. Following the successful launch of the tour guide training program in Kandy last year, we are glad to see the experience provider training now underway. One of MDF’s core strategies in tourism is to create more inclusive opportunities for women, and our collaboration with Intrepid is strongly aligned with this objective. This workshop, focused on women-led businesses in the Central Province, marks an important step in that direction. MDF remains committed to promoting inclusive business models that economically empower women and looks forward to expanding this initiative to other provinces in partnership with Intrepid.”
One of the participants shared, “It was so refreshing to connect with Intrepid and other women who truly understand the unique challenges of running a business in tourism. From this workshop, we learned valuable ways to upscale our businesses—especially sustainable practices that benefit not just us, but also our communities, the environment, and the country as a whole. It opened our eyes to new opportunities, and we’re truly grateful for the network we were introduced to.”
All participants left the workshop inspired, supported, and more confident in their ability to grow and lead. They will also have the opportunity to work with Intrepid in the future, scale up their businesses, and connect with wider markets, industry networks, tourism partners, and key government stakeholders.
This kind of support is especially important in a sector where women remain vastly underrepresented—currently making up less than 10% of the tourism workforce in Sri Lanka, with even fewer in leadership or business ownership roles. Through its gender-inclusive training programs, Intrepid Colombo aims to change that narrative—by offering opportunities, platforms, and support networks for women to lead confidently and sustainably.
With plans to roll out similar workshops in other regions of Sri Lanka, the “Women in Tourism” initiative continues to grow in ambition and impact. Whether through upskilling aspiring tour leaders or strengthening the leadership of female business owners, the program is fast becoming a model for inclusive and responsible tourism development in the country.
