Travel / Lifestyle

Tourist Board hosts cricketing Rotarians

The Sri Lanka Tourist Board hosted 300 visiting Rotarians to an evening of entertainment at the Mt. Lavinia Hotel in a goodwill building exercise and in projecting Sri Lanka as a delightful destination of warm and hospitable people.

The theme of the evening's entertainment was informal and rustic. Jute table clothes and simple bench seating carried a charm and all materials used for decor were locally made; even the implements and utensils used for dining, wherever feasible, were made in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka Tourism flags were seen fluttering in the light evening breeze giving a festive air to the surroundings and flame lit king coconut shells shed a pleasant glow; an addition to the ambience of the evening.

The VIP guests to the event; 300 Rotarians from Rotary International visiting Colombo from August 12 to 18, participated in the 5th Rotary World Cricket Festival. They were greeted on arrival at the Hotel to the beat of percussion drums and escorted to the outdoor marquee covered reception area. Guests chose to keep to the theme and were attired in casual beach wear, keeping the mood alive and vibrant.

One guest summed up the evening of entertainment provided by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board to showcase destination Sri Lanka saying "Sri Lankans' are great hosts. You have made our visit unforgettable - this is a beautiful country of delightful people."

A happy group of Rotarians returned to their official hotel for this tour; the Hilton Colombo, with unforgettable memories of an evening of enjoyment, having relished in Sri Lanka's hospitality.

The Rotary Cricket Festival previously held in Fordingbridge; England, Chennai; India, Christchurch; New Zealand and Hunter Valley; Australia, is hosted in Sri Lanka by the International Fellowship of Cricket Loving Rotarians (IFCR) of RI District 3220.

The World Rotary Cricket Festival is held once in three years. This year the event attracted 14 teams, with participants from Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

First A380 flight on Oct 25-26

Airbus and Singapore Airlines have agreed to a delivery timetable for the first A380 aircraft.

The aircraft is planned for handover by Airbus to Singapore Airlines on Monday, October 15 at a ceremony in Toulouse, France.

It will be configured with 471 seats in three classes: Economy, Business and the new Singapore Airlines Suites: a class beyond First.

Within a few days of delivery, the aircraft will fly to Singapore's Changi Airport: the world's first A380 home airport. There will be a short period set aside for crew and ground staff familiarisation.

World aviation history will be made when the Singapore Airlines A380 makes its First Flight - SQ380 - to Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport on October 25 and returns to Singapore on Friday, October 26. Singapore Airlines Chief Executive Officer, Chew Choon Seng, said the delivery would mark the beginning of a new chapter for the aviation industry.

"Everyone at Singapore Airlines is keenly anticipating the delivery of this new plane, and our people are working hard on the final preparation for its entry into service. The first flight promises to be one of the most exciting occasions in aviation history.

"We are overwhelmed by the support of the community - from all over the world - for the charity auction and I would like to thank the many partners and service providers that have followed the lead of our fuel supplier, ExxonMobil, and eBay, in donating their services for the First Flight's charitable causes.

"While occasions like this are few and far between, we hope this enthusiasm generates support for very worthwhile causes," Chew said.

Seats across all three classes will be auctioned on the global online marketplace, eBay. There will be plenty of seats put to auction, allowing many opportunities for travellers keen to be part of history to join the First Flight experience.

Emirates road shows ahead of further route launches

Emirates Airline is powering for a transcontinental road show blitz to support a flurry of route launches across the world, beginning with the Newcastle service on September 1.

From Ahmedabad in India to Sao Paulo in Brazil, Emirates is criss-crossing the globe in the coming months with a series of events to publicise the latest additions to the airline's increasingly global footprint.

The promotions, come hot on the heels of the successful Venice route launch, started in Sao Paulo, the most important financial centre in Latin America. Road shows were held to support the beginning of the Emirates' service on October 1.

After Tyneside, its back across the Atlantic to the United States to promote the December 3 Houston launch. Events will take place in Houston on August 29, with further activities in Miami on September 6 and in Dallas on September 28.

On September 10, another continent comes into the frame with India. Emirates is organising a road show in Ahmedabad, India's sixth largest city. Emirates will fly there from October 28.

In Canada, road shows to support the new Toronto service, begins on October 29, will take place in Toronto on September 19 and later in Calgary on September 24. Emirates' road shows are aimed at raising awareness, primarily within the travel and tourism industry, ahead of the start of a new service. They involve trade presentations, dinner functions and press briefings.

Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Mike Simon said: "This is a busy year for Emirates as far as route launches and the resulting promotional activities go. But, as ever, we are ready for the challenge.

It is an exciting time for the airline as it continues to spread its wings across new boundaries and further establish its international reputation. We are particularly keen to launch services into South America and we now offer the only direct air link between Venice and the Middle East."

During the second half of 2007, Emirates will launch six new routes - Venice (which started July 1), Newcastle (September 1) Sao Paulo (October 1), Ahmedabad (October 28), Toronto (October 29) and Houston (December 3).

SriLankan Holidays sizzling summer fun in Dubai

It's summer and sizzling on the top of the SriLankan Holiday's 'Mega 999' vacation hot list this season is Dubai - with an extravagant array of special events and promotions, a media release from SriLankan said.

SriLankan Holiday's offers an opportunity to catch a glimpse of old and modern Dubai aboard a traditional trading ship or the Dhow and ride the sand dunes on a four-wheel drive, with packages for passengers travelling through Abu Dhabi and for packages direct to Dubai.

Your holiday however begins right here in Sri Lanka, with SriLankan Holidays taking care of all your needs, including your visa within seven working days.

SriLankan Holidays General Manager Amith Sumanapala said, "One of the most tiresome chores of most holidays is getting the visa - stress that you don't need. For your part, all you have to do is decide when you want to go, what more you want to do and how much longer you want to enjoy your experience in Dubai. We will take care of the rest."

SriLankan Holidays has also put in place a comprehensive web based booking system and a network of travel partners, offering travellers' easy access to holiday offers and instant confirmations for their tour, hotel and travel bookings, adding extra nights, additional tours and hotel upgrades.

Once in Dubai, you will be whisked away to your hotel and helping you rest better on your three nights in the bustling cosmopolitan city and wake up to a continental buffet, SriLankan Holidays has hand picked only the best places to stay in Dubai.

"We have also included two excursions unique to the region and a must for every visitor. The first, dune riding on a four-wheel drive, ending with dinner under the stars to the tunes of Arabian drums and dancers. The second, dining abroad a dhow and catching a glimpse of old and new Dubai co-existing side by side," Sumanapala said.