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| Sunday, 29 May 2005 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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US support to promote tourism in Lanka The United States said that it would partner with Sri Lanka's tourism businesses in a $3.0 million program to support the nation's post-tsunami efforts to promote tourism vacations in Sri Lanka. The US Agency for International Development (USAID), working through the Tourism Cluster in co-ordination with the Sri Lanka Tourism Board, will help promote Sri Lankan tourism in the European and Indian markets during the forthcoming summer months. The strategy is to reach travellers and tour operators with the message that Sri Lanka is making great strides in recovering from the tsunami, and that travellers to the island can look forward to safe, healthy, beautiful and enjoyable vacations. "We're proud to be able to help Sri Lanka's tourism sector recover from the losses it suffered after the tsunami," said Carol Becker, the head of USAID in Colombo. "We want the world's travellers to know that Sri Lanka's tourism-related hotels and other businesses are ready to welcome them back with full service." At the end of 2004 inbound visitors to Sri Lanka had passed the 550,000 mark, and the volume was growing by 13% per year. In the months following the tsunami, tour operators cancelled plans to visit Sri Lanka as far out as April and May. Without increased promotion, there is a danger that Sri Lanka could face a decline of more than 100,000 visitor arrivals in 2005. The Tourism Cluster is a non-profit group of travel associations, hotel owners and tourism-related businesses that work together to make Sri Lankan tourism more attractive and more competitive in the global marketplace. US support for the tourism sector in Sri Lanka comes through The Competitiveness Program (TCP), a USAID-funded technical assistance program implemented by Nathan Associates Inc. and J.E. Austin Associates, Inc. TCP is USAID's principal technical assistance program with the Government of Sri Lanka to promote national competitiveness in the global marketplace. ########## Asiana Holiday Resort goes for expansion
Asiana Holiday Resort at Kumaragewatta, Battaramulla is the ideal place to enjoy a quiet day away from the hustle and bustle of the city without travelling far. You can enjoy a dip in the pool, dream or read a book under the shade of a beautiful tree forgetting all your worries. Manager, Sarath Ratnapala and his staff will look after all your needs and you can enjoy the mouth watering array of food. For couples having their wedding receptions the hall, traditional oil lamp, bridal settee and coffee table, registration table, table with skirting for the cake structure, cake trays, flower vases, the national flag and a changing room are given complimentary while poruwa, wedding cakes, cake structure, video filming, photographer, traditional drummers, ashtaka, Jayamangala gatha, band and special decorations are also available. Ratnapala said the day outing menu includes two varieties of rice or noodles, two items - meat or fish, three vegetables, three salads and three desserts. We also have stringhoppers, hoppers, kottu and biriyani menus. In addition we also have a la carte menus. The pool side BBQ which is arranged on request is very popular among the guests at the resort, he said. The resort also offers membership to enter the pool and the fully equipped gymnasium. It can be purchased annually, half yearly or monthly. The Asiana Holiday Resort has an experienced coach to provide swimming lessons. The gymnasium has modern equipment and experienced instructors to help you burn out the extra calories. The resort also does outdoor catering and we get many orders, the manager said. The owner of the resort W. P. Perera had invested over Rs. 40 million and plans are afoot to build 10 rooms. These rooms will be given to families to help them get away from the daily grind and enjoy a quiet weekend. SG ########### Malaysia Airlines commissions B747-400 Full Flight Simulator Malaysia Airlines commissioned its latest Boeing B747-400 Full Flight Simulator (FFS) for operations recently. The FFS was acquired from Thales Training and Simulation Limited, an international electronics and systems group, serving defence, aerospace and security markets. It was commissioned by Malaysia Airlines' Managing Director, Dato' Ahmad Fuaad Dahlan and Mark Rowson, Sales Director of Thales Training and Simulation at the national airline's Flight Crew Training Centre in Subang. The Full Flight Simulator (FFS) is the latest in simulation technology using TT&S' C2000X architecture and has been designed specifically to meet the exacting requirements for the Malaysian Department of Civil Aviation, Joint Aviation Requirements (JAR) Standard 1A and United States Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) Level D, the highest internationally recognised level of flight simulation. Speaking at the commissioning of the simulator, Dato' Ahmad Fuaad said, "Whilst we are focused on all the frills towards the expansion of the national airline, we recognise that our operations hinges primarily on the expertise of pilots and cabin crew. |
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