Global Hospitality Internship Program (GHIP)
Luxury Hotels & Resort Internship in Sri Lanka
1.GHIP Program Overview
Sri Lankan hotels and resorts provide an exceptional learning environment for
international students pursuing careers in hospitality, tourism, international business,
and service management. Sri Lanka is one of the world’s premier tourism destinations,
renowned for its luxury resorts, high service standards, and multicultural hospitality
environment.
Our Global Hospitality Internship Program (GHIP)- Sri Lanka, the first such purposed
designed program in the country, implement in exclusive partnership with the Hotel
Association of Sri Lanka (THASL), the apex body representing Sri Lanka's hotel and
tourism industry, places international students from around the world in selected hotels
& resorts in Sri Lanka for structured 3-6 months internships to provide practical training
experience.
This mutually beneficial program provides international students with hands-on experience in luxury
hotels & resort operations, while supporting resorts and hotels with enthusiastic trainees who can
contribute to daily service delivery. Participating hotels & resorts will provide free accommodation and
meals, while students will gain valuable international work exposure, cultural learning, and practical
industry skills.
The key objectives of the program are:
- Provide international hospitality students with practical industry experience in a world-class tourism destination.
- Enhance employability of students through international work exposure.
- Strengthen academic–industry partnerships between universities and resorts.
- Promote cultural exchange and global understanding among young professionals.
- Support resorts by engaging motivated trainees in operational areas.
Duration: 3 – 6 months (12–24 weeks)
The program is available in the following locations
- Sri Lanka (only)
- Maldives (only)
- Combined (Sri Lanka & Maldives)
Internship Areas
Students may be placed in various operational departments depending on resort needs and student background:
Front Office Operations
Guest Relations
Food & Beverage Service
Housekeeping
Recreation & Guest Activities
Resort Operations Support
Culinary Assistance
Tourism and Guest Experience
Sustainability and Green Initiatives
Students will rotate or work within a specific department depending on the training structure agreed with the resort.
The program will operate under a training-based internship model rather than formal employment; as such no remuneration is provided to interns.
Resort Responsibilities
Participating resorts will provide:
- Shared accommodation within staff facilities
- Three meals per day
- On-site supervision and mentoring
- Orientation to resort operations
- Certificate / Letter of internship completion
Student Responsibilities
Students are expected to:
- Participate actively in assigned training activities
- Follow resort rules and staff conduct policies
- Respect local culture and workplace ethics
- Complete the full internship duration (3 / 6 months as applicable)
- Interns participating will sign a Code of Conduct and a liability waiver
- Sign an Internship Agreement
No formal salary will be provided as the program is structured as a training-based internship with accommodation and meals covered.
Eligible international participants include:
- Undergraduate or postgraduate students
-
Students who graduated or enrolled in programs such as :
- Hospitality Management
- Tourism Management
- Hotel Administration
- Business Administration
- Culinary Arts
- Event Management
- Students must have basic English communication skills
- Students recommended or nominated by our partner universities
- Age should be 18 years or above
Hospitality education increasingly requires practical industry exposure in international settings. While universities provide theoretical knowledge, students benefit greatly from immersive experiences in real hospitality environments.
Students participating in the program will gain:
- Practical experience in World-class hospitality operations
- Exposure to international tourism standards
- Cross-cultural work experience
- Professional networking opportunities
- Enhanced employability after graduation
- A certificate issued by the host hotel & resort
Hotels & Resorts participating in the program will benefit from:
- Motivated international trainees
- Cultural diversity within staff teams/ improved guest experience
- Support for operational departments
- Opportunity to identify future hospitality talent
The program will be designed, coordinated and implemented exclusively by the Institute of Migration Sri Lanka (IMSL) in collaboration with partners and is responsible for:
- Partnering with hotels and resorts
- Partnering with international universities & training institutions
- Coordinate the issuance of internship confirmation documentation
- Pre-departure briefing including information about Sri Lankan/ Maldives culture and workplace norms/expectations
- Monitoring interns' welfare during the internship
- Screening interns and selecting students in coordination with hotels &resorts
- Coordination& guidance for travel, documentation, visa, travel insurance
- Meeting and greeting on arrival at the airport and arranging transfer to the hotel/resort
- Emergency contact and support during internship
All communications should only be channeled through the IMSL. A designated Program Coordinator from IMSL will maintain communication between universities, participating hotels/resorts, and interns. We assure that IMSL will undertake all coordination and paperwork, ensuring a minimum workload for our partners.
Students are required to pay a program participation fee to support placement facilitation and program coordination services provided by IMSL. As IMSL operates on a not-for- profit basis, the fee is intended primarily to recover operational and administrative costs associated with the program. Since the participation fee may vary depending on the placement and program arrangements, interested applicants are encouraged to contact the IMSL team for the latest fee structure and related information”
Students &
Individuals
Explore international hospitality internship opportunities and gain global experience.
Universities &
Training Institutes
Partner with GHIP to provide international internship opportunities for your students
Hotels & Resorts
Host talented international interns and build a globally diverse workforce
For any inquiries regarding GHIP, contact:
Head of Program
Student Interest Form
Explore international hospitality internship opportunities in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Global Hospitality Internship Program (GHIP)
Thank you for your interest in the Global Hospitality Internship Program (GHIP).
Please complete this short form if you would like to receive more information about the
program and the application submission process.
