The Colombo Academy of Hospitality Management (CAHM), Sri Lanka’s largest hotel school, is a joint
venture between William Angliss Institute (WAI), Australia. Based in the SLIIT campus in Malabe, we are a
dedicated centre for Hospitality, Tourism, Foods and Events. William Angliss has a proud history of over 80
years, and in our Melbourne campus we annually have over 22,000 local clients and students, and 1,800
international students from over 60 countries with more than 100,000 graduates worldwide.
The teachers at William Angliss Institute @ SLIIT are from the Hospitality Industry, both local and
international. Their expertise vary from Hospitality Management, Bar Operations, Administration,
Finance…etc., the Academy is visited by several guest lecturers across the year from WAI, Melbourne where
the students gain knowledge about coffee, wine and culinary arts. Our training facilities include a
well-equipped training kitchen, including a functioning in-house restaurant. Our courses are designed with
industry needs in mind, and work to ensure that our graduates are ‘Career Ready’.
Hospitality and Tourism is one of the most powerful and most often overlooked tools for promoting economic and social development, in rich and poor countries alike. Tourism supports 10% of all economic activity on the planet and 8% of all global employment. It is one the largest exports and sources of foreign exchange earnings in the United States and most of Western Europe, and is also the leading export in over half of Least Developed Countries (LDCs). This is true of no other industry.Tourism is unique in so many other ways. In most countries it also nurtures and develops unique attractions such as indigenous culture, sports, wildlife, and nature reserves . This presents incredible opportunities for tourism to contribute to both the economic development, and development of a person as a professional. One of the primary reasons the multibillion-dollar hospitality and tourism industry is so popular as a career choice and it offers opportunities across various types of businesses and organizations all around the world, including:
- Hotels and Resorts
- Government advisory and Consulting
- Education (such William Angliss)
- Restaurants and Food Service
- Cruise ships and Airlines
- Theme parks and Integrated Resorts
- Meeting and event planning
- Recreation and sports management
- Tourist destinations and attractions
Set in the Indian Ocean in South Asia, the tropical Island nation of Sri Lanka has a history dating back to the birth of time. It is a place where the original soul of Buddhism still flourishes and where nature’s beauty remains abundant and unspoiled.Few places in the world can offer the traveler such a remarkable combination of stunning landscapes, pristine beaches, captivating cultural heritage and unique experiences within such a compact location. Within a mere area of 65,645 kilometers lie 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 1,330 kilometers of coastline – much of it pristine beach – 15 national parks showcasing an abundance of wildlife, nearly 500,000 acres of lush tea estates, 250 acres of botanical gardens, 350 waterfalls, 25,000 water bodies, to a culture that extends back to over 2,500 years.This story itself tells the massive growth and potential of Sri Lankan tourism , as the Island country is blessed with the beauty of nature .With the backing of tourism , hospitality plays a very vital role in the future growth of Sri Lanka , as the amount of tourists visiting, is only going to increase in future . Proper training and nourishment in the field of hospitality could do wonders in terms of national as well of personal growth . (Source : Government of Sri Lanka) SRI LANKA TOURISM DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2010 -2023
A career in the hospitality industry offers students opportunities in many different areas including, events (sporting, cultural, concerts, exhibitions, etc.) conferences, banqueting, theme parks and attractions, restaurants, catering, resorts (golf, ski, beach, spa, etc.) airlines and cruise lines and many more service-related industries. Unlike other industries, one can be sure of not being stuck at one position/designation for all their life, or sitting in a cubical for half their lives.This industry provides oneself tremendous amount of exposure, and if one excels in this market, it could do wonders in terms of personal growth (monetary and non monetary)
With an increasing number of hotels and resorts under development in Sri Lanka & the region at large, the Hospitality Industry contains many opportunities for aspiring students. With tourist arrivals maintaining an upward trend since mid-2009, the sector is going through an interesting phase, with massive investment pouring in from domestic as well as foreign investors. Moreover, a number of world-class brands are emerging the Sri Lankan market, including Hyatt, Marriot, Sheraton, Anantara, Movenpick to name just a few. Consequently this will leading to a rise in demand, particularly for highly trained & skilled professionals. Besides, hotels and world-class resorts will be hiring people in different departments like kitchen, service, housekeeping, food and beverage, sales and marketing. Consequently students who graduate will be “ahead” of their peers in securing their future. Hospitality leaders say Sri Lanka will have to produce more than 15,000 skilled manpower over the next five years to cater to the growing demand from the sector. With such a bright future in tourism and hospitality both in Sri Lanka and abroad, it becomes quite evident that choosing a career in hospitality and tourism management will help you secure “your future” in the long run.
