Travel / Lifestyle

Japanese tourists spend the most here

The overall average tourist expenditure per night is US$ 83.41 according to a survey by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board on foreign tourists leaving the country at the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake. Japan was the highest spending market (US $ 107.9) per day followed by Australia (US $ 101.3) per day.

The survey was conducted by the Research Division of the Sri Lanka Tourist Board from July 2005 to February 2006.

Tourists spend around two-thirds of their expenditure on accommodation, food and beverages. Shopping accounted for a little less than one-third of the expenditure.

In Sri Lanka around 99.9 per cent of tourists travel through the Colombo International airport, hence it was considered the most appropriate point to conduct the survey.

Interviewers worked round the clock on a shift basis covering every outbound flight.

Around 2,500 tourists were interviewed in English, German, French, Japanese, Chinese and Hindi.

The main objectives of the survey were to obtain information on personal and visitor profile, travel behaviour patterns, opinions and impressions of tourists on the level of satisfaction while they were in Sri Lanka and visitors' expenditure patterns. According to the survey over two-thirds of those interviewed were on their first visit to Sri Lanka while nearly one-third of them were repeat visitors to Sri Lanka.

Over three-fourths of those interviewed indicated the possibility of re-visiting Sri Lanka. Around two-thirds of them had obtained information about Sri Lanka from the internet while over one-third used the internet for booking the holidays.

A little less than two-thirds of the visitors travelled to Sri Lanka as FITs (Free Independent Traveller) while only 41.60 per cent visited the country through packages. 37.4 per cent indicated that they travelled alone, 28 per cent travelled with the spouse, and 32.2 per cent with friends and relations.

More than two-thirds of those interviewed visited the Colombo City, a little less than two-third visited Kandy and one half of this number visited the south coast beaches. About 11.8 per cent of the tourists indicated that they were involved in tsunami relief work in Sri Lanka.

Cathay Pacific receives 100th aircraft

Cathay Pacific Airways celebrated a significant milestone in its 60-year history and continued expansion when it took delivery of its 100th aircraft, an Airbus A330-300, at the Airbus final assembly line in Toulouse, France.

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Philip Chen accepted the aircraft on the airline's behalf from Airbus Chief Operating Officer - Customers John Leahy. The Guest of Honour at the acceptance ceremony was Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Rafael Hui. Representing Rolls-Royce, which has supplied the Trent 700 engines used on the latest fleet addition, was Senior Vice President Asia and Middle East Mick Forey.

The new aircraft, registration B-LAD, comes with a unique livery to mark its special status in the fleet. It has also been given a name, "Progress Hong Kong", which was selected in a naming competition among the airline's staff. The A330-300 has a three-class configuration featuring Cathay Pacific's acclaimed First Class and New Business Class cabins. It will fly on regional and medium-haul routes around the airline's network.

Speaking at the aircraft acceptance ceremony in Toulouse, Chen said our latest aircraft not only caps 60 years of great achievements, but also heralds a new era of expansion for the airline. In the past 10 years we have doubled our fleet size and by October 2009 we will operate more than 130 aircraft.

This continued growth represents the confidence we have in the airline, and also the confidence we have in Hong Kong's future as a centre for business and tourism, and as a passenger and freight hub of international importance. Our recent acquisition of Dragonair underlines our commitment to the city and will, I believe, create new synergies that can only benefit Hong Kong."

Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government Rafael Hui said: "Cathay Pacific's development is a typical Hong Kong story. Its success is a major driving force behind Hong Kong's aviation development, which in turn supports our continued trade and economic growth."