She has since worked in different hotels throughout a career spanning over two decades. Now 42, she is in charge of Sri Lanka’s first resort fully operated and managed by women. It’s an attempt to address gender disparities in a male-dominated tourism sector crucial for the country’s economic recovery after a major crisis.

Sri Lanka has launched its first resort entirely managed by women, the Amba Yaalu resort, located in Dambulla city. This initiative aims to empower women in the country’s male-dominated tourism industry and contribute to the country’s economic recovery.

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, especially those in the rural areas, said Suranga Silva, professor of tourism economics in the University of Colombo.