Sri Lanka’s first all-women resort seeks to shatter gender barriers in tourism industry

Sri Lanka has launched its first resort entirely operated and managed by women, marking a significant step forward in empowering women in a traditionally male-dominated tourism industry. The Amba Yaalu resort, located in Dambulla city, opened in January 2025 and aims to not only boost the country’s economy, which has faced significant challenges in recent years, but also unlock the potential of women in Sri Lanka’s hospitality sector.

Breaking barriers in the male-dominated tourism industry

Sri Lanka’s tourism sector has long been dominated by men, with women making up only 10% of the workforce despite comprising 52% of the country’s population. The Amba Yaalu resort is seen as a pioneering effort to change this dynamic. Adikari, who manages daily operations at the resort, shared her excitement about the impact on women’s empowerment, saying, “This is a place where women can realise their potential. They will not be inside the shell. Instead, they will come out and try to perform better.”

Women-only workforce driving change

Located 160 kilometers northeast of Colombo in a mango plantation, the resort employs 75 women in various roles, including gardening, kitchen work, guest services, and even security. Seven former military personnel, all women, ensure the safety of the guests. The resort also offers training programs to help women build new skills in hospitality, making it an essential platform for their career growth.

Chandra Wickramasinghe, the visionary behind Amba Yaalu, spoke about his motivation for the project, noting, “I knew what these ladies can do. I got the idea and put my team to work on it. We got a strong team to run it and it worked very well.” He emphasised the importance of giving women opportunities to thrive as leaders in the workplace.

Addressing the barriers facing women in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry

For many women in Sri Lanka, societal and structural barriers have made entering the tourism industry difficult. Suranga Silva, a professor of tourism economics at the University of Colombo, explained, “Social stigma, language barriers, work-life balance, lack of training facilities, and low salaries have long kept the majority of Sri Lankan women away from the hospitality industry.” Many women in rural areas, in particular, face these challenges, despite the fact that women have held significant positions in politics, such as the country’s current prime minister, Harini Amarasuriya.

These barriers are slowly being overcome, however, as a growing number of young women express interest in joining the industry. Silva believes that there is a “dramatic change” underway, with more young women eager to pursue careers in tourism. He also suggested that collaboration between the government and the private sector is essential for providing the necessary training and support to increase women’s employment opportunities in tourism.

Empowering women in the kitchen

Amba Yaalu resort has also made strides in breaking down gender barriers in the kitchen. Kaushalya Batagoda, the resort’s executive chef, noted that there is a shortage of female professionals in the kitchen, but the new generation of women is eager to join the field. “The new generation has a passion for working in the kitchen,” she said. “I get a lot of applications from women.” This reflects the growing interest among women to take on roles that were once dominated by men.

A positive impact on women’s rights and employment

The Amba Yaalu resort has been hailed by women’s rights activists as a model for empowering women in Sri Lanka. Sepali Kottegoda, a leading women’s rights activist, stated, “Such business enterprises can open up more safe employment opportunities for women.” The resort’s approach offers a positive example of how businesses can create new career paths for women in an industry that has historically been inaccessible to them.

A vision for the future of women in tourism

Amba Yaalu is not just a place for women to find employment; it is a platform for empowerment. Adikari emphasized this point, saying, “This is purely to empower women. We invite women to come and join us, see whether they can perform better in the career, sharpen their capacities and skills, and contribute to the industry.”

The success of the resort represents a potential turning point for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, which can benefit from a more inclusive and diverse workforce. As Amba Yaalu continues to grow, it may serve as an example of how empowering women in the tourism sector can drive both social change and economic recovery.

(With AP contributions)