DISABILITY INCLUSION THROUGH SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: A CASE STUDY OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN SRI LANKA

Abstract

Disability inclusion in tourism through skills development is an emerging research area, but little is known about the antecedents, experiences, employer prejudices, and post-training outcomes of such interventions. This article examines the lived experiences of disabled persons’ training endeavors in rural tourism value chain, representing five different subsectors: hotel, restaurant, travel, tour guide, and bakery products. The theoretical framework is guided by the human development model of disability, and the case study approach is employed to illicit information on key constraints affecting skills development of persons with disabilities (PWDs) living in underdeveloped districts of a developing economy. The findings confirm that skills development of PWDs is an effective strategy to create a more inclusive and equitable society. In addition to PWD trainees’ perseverance and determination, supportive roles of the family members, peers, communities, and employers emerge as vital factors in promoting human development of PWDs. In the area of training, the application of modern training methodologies with the support of reasonable adjustment models are equally important in facilitating PWD training and imparting employable skills. The findings also suggest that labour- and service- intensive industry sectors such as rural tourism offer significant potential for promoting disability inclusion through skills development. This article contributes to academic and policy debates about disability inclusion through skills development, particularly in economically disadvantaged regions of developing economies