The luxury hotel brand NÜWA has become the first hospitality establishment in Sri Lanka to introduce women into the traditionally male-dominated doorperson role, marking a shift toward greater gender diversity in the country's hospitality sector.
NÜWA at City of Dreams Sri Lanka has taken a distinctive approach to luxury hospitality by recruiting women into doorperson positions, a role historically reserved for men in Sri Lanka's hospitality industry. According to the Colombo Gazette, this initiative represents a deliberate effort to redefine guest-facing roles at the premium property, which features 113 rooms and suites focused on personalised service.
The move reflects a broader organisational commitment to gender diversity across City of Dreams Sri Lanka. Sanchitha Uduwidana, the resort's Director of Human Resources, stated that the initiative challenges traditional perceptions about who belongs in particular roles within hospitality. She emphasised that exceptional service should be defined by talent and professionalism rather than conventional expectations about job assignments.
City of Dreams Sri Lanka, operated by Melco, employs more than 1,500 people and has introduced unprecedented scale and variety to Sri Lanka's hospitality employment landscape since its opening. The doorperson position, typically among the first guest interactions at a luxury property, carries particular symbolic weight in setting the tone for an entire stay. Staff members like Anjalie, one of NÜWA's doorpersons, have described the role as rewarding, emphasising the satisfaction of creating positive first impressions for arriving guests.
The initiative forms part of a larger conversation about women's participation and representation in Sri Lanka's hospitality sector, positioning NÜWA as an early mover in normalising diverse staffing in traditionally male-dominated guest-facing positions.
