Opportunities for Sri Lankan Hotel School Students at The Ned Doha, Qatar
The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Qatar has initiated an internship programme in collaboration with The Ned Doha, a luxury lifestyle hotel and private members’ club in Doha, Qatar, to provide international industry exposure and practical training opportunities for students of the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM).
The first batch of eight (08) out of twelve (12) Sri Lankan students arrived in Doha and began their internships on 25 October 2026, gaining practical experience in key hospitality sectors, including front office operations, housekeeping and culinary arts.
During his official visit to Qatar to participate in the World Investment Forum 2026,Hon. Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe, Deputy Minister of Tourism of Sri Lanka, attended the inauguration ceremony at The Ned Doha and congratulated the students on embarking on this important new chapter in their professional development.
Addressing the occasion, the Hon. Deputy Minister highlighted the Government’s commitment to developing a skilled and professional workforce for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry by providing young people with greater international exposure, practical experience and opportunities to acquire globally recognized hospitality standards. He expressed confidence that such initiatives would contribute towards strengthening the quality and competitiveness of Sri Lanka’s tourism sector in the future.
The Deputy Minister also appreciated The Ned Doha for welcoming young Sri Lankan trainees into its internationally renowned luxury hospitality environment. He encouraged the hotel to expand the programme by accepting more Sri Lankan students for internships in the coming years. Hon. Prof. Ranasinghe further appreciated the commitment of the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management and the Sri Lanka Embassy, Doha for initiating and implementing this important initiative.
Mr. Massimiliano Binda, Managing Director of The Ned Doha, stated that more than 40 Sri Lankan professionals are currently employed at the hotel and commended their performance and contribution to its high standards of service. During the discussion, he also suggested the establishment of a MoU between the relevant institutions to formalize and facilitate the recruitment of additional Sri Lankan interns in the future.
The event was attended by H.E Sithara Khan, the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Qatar, Mr. Dharmasiri Wijewardana, Minister of the Embassy of Sri Lanka, Mr. Suranga Liyanapahirana, Deputy Director, International Relations, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Ms. Denise Dias, Director of Human Resources, Mr. Dimuthu Weerasiri, Director of Finance and Mr. Chathura Wanniarachchi, Director of Engineering, from The Ned Doha among others.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Doha
29 October 2026
