‘ Yarl Explorers’: Jetwing joins with GIZ to promote Jaffna’s Tourism Potential

One of the first hospitality brands Jetwing to make their presence felt in Jaffna and opening the doors of the northern peninsula to travellers from Sri Lanka and the world over. Jetwing Hotels, along with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Sri Lanka, recently launched a new venture – Yarl Explorers - to equip youth in Jaffna with the skills and knowledge necessary to become professional tour guides, further bolstering the tourism capacity of the north and providing a source of income to the region.

Speaking at the launch of the project Hiran Cooray, Chairman of Jetwing Symphony PLC, said ‘Jaffna, despite being a city with great potential to be recognized as one of Sri Lanka’s famous tourist hotspots, remains largely untapped. As the very first group of hotels to have identified this we feel that there is much that can be done to bolster the region’s tourism’.

Yarl Explorers is an initiative to equip local youth with the skills and knowledge to become quality tour leaders within the region and to promote its unrealized potential and unique culture. We are glad that GIZ has partnered with us on this youth empowerment initiative. Our partnership with GIZ in community development runs as far back as 2015, collaborating on empowering the Northern youth through the very first Jetwing Youth Development Project to be conducted in Jaffna, and I hope that our latest venture together goes a long way in promoting Jaffna’s regional tourism”.

The Project Vocational Training in Sri Lanka that GIZ implements on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) puts a focus on creating and supporting future oriented short-term courses for youth with limited opportunities.

GIZ Sri Lanka- Vocational Training in Sri Lanka Project Director, Mathis Hemberger said, ‘There are many tourist hot spots in Jaffna and we are glad to partner with premier hotel chain, Jetwing Hotels to bring new career opportunities for youth who had limited exposure to careers in hospitality sector. With the growth tourism sector in Jaffna witnessed over the last few years, we believe more hospitality sector partners will join hands to build capacities of youth through similar partnerships’. Family owned and in the tourism industry for the past 47 years, Jetwing Hotels has surpassed expectation at every aspect. Building on their foundation of being passionate, as well as the experience of true, traditional Sri Lankan hospitality, constantly pioneering discoveries captures the essence of the brand. Such a strong statement and direction have enabled Jetwing Hotels to imagine, create and manage marvels and masterpieces, where distinctive design and elegant comfort complement each other and the environment. In line with the Jetwing Hotels Sustainable Strategy, across all properties sustainable and responsible practices are given precedence with resource efficiency, community upliftment and education, and awareness being some of our key focus areas.