The Truly Sri Lankan Bank, Pan Asia Bank, selected the scenic locales of Ella to host a specially developed SME workshop to uplift local tourism industry stakeholders in the region. The world-famous Ella is one of the top destinations in Sri Lanka for both local and foreign tourists. The SME workshop was a collaborative effort between Pan Asia Bank, National Chamber of Commerce, Uva Chamber of Commerce and the Tourism Promotion Bureau UVA. The full-day event brought together key stakeholders, industry experts and the Pan Asia Bank Team for a series of insightful discussions to help SMEs thrive.
Present at the event was Naleen Edirisinghe, Director/CEO, Pan Asia Bank, along with N.G.R.D. Kumarawansa, Chairman, Uva Province Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Thilini Dilshani, Executive Officer, Special Programs Promotion, National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka; and Sampath Nishshanka, Provincial Director, Industry Development and Tourism Sector, Uva Provincial Council & CEO, Uva Tourism Promotion Agency and other officials.
The special workshop aimed to enhance and develop the sector through a series of speeches, presentations and interactive activities. The agenda presentations on the positive factors and challenges in domestic tourism, essential traits for entrepreneurial success, financial literacy, key aspects of banking relationships, and budget management. In addition, group discussions focused on identifying and managing different types of capital, understanding cash flow and profit, and preparing practical cash flow plans. The event provided valuable networking opportunities for the participants. Moreover, in a further value addition, interactive sessions on employee engagement emphasized best practices in HR management, leadership development and promoting a healthy work-life balance.
The key knowledge imparted during the session included;
- Service excellence for better customer experience
- New trends/challenges
- The importance of providing adequate information & social protection
- Importance of health & safety guidelines
- Entrepreneurship for business development
- Financial literacy and reporting
The workshop was conducted by veteran Business Coach, Trainer and Consultant, Mr. Sarath Dias-Bandaranayake, a Fellow of the Institute of Bankers, Fellow of the Institute of Training & Development, Founder Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Professional Managers; Certified Life & Business Coach, a Trainer of Entrepreneurs, Banking & Finance & HR Professionals, Essential Skills, Trainers, Coaches; Life & Business Coach; Banking, Finance, Management & an HR Consultant.
Commenting on the event, CEO of Pan Asia Bank, Naleen Edirisinghe, stated, This workshop is a clear indication of our firm and continued efforts towards building the nation through uplifting the business community, especially the tourism sector, which generates much-needed foreign currency and job opportunities for Sri Lankans. As we join hands with the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka and UVA Tourism, it is our understanding that more needs to be done to support Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. We acknowledge the importance of developing SMEs in order to promote and sustain tourism in Sri Lanka.
Pan Asia Bank is committed to continue its valuable support to the small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) sector by conducting similar financial literacy workshops for SMEs across the length and breadth of the country.