Business travel

Long term planning made Maldives a tourist attraction

by Lalin Fernandopulle

Long term planning has helped the Maldives to be a nature friendly tourist destination attracting over 600,000 tourists annually. Over 70 per cent of the country's foreign earnings are from the tourism sector, said Mohamed Maleeh Gamal of the Maldives Tourism Promotion Board.

He was addressing a forum 'Towards a carbon neutral Sri Lanka: building tourism partnerships' organised by the Responsible Tourism Partnership and the Travel Foundation UK.

He said short term plans to increase profits are detrimental to sustainable tourism. Today the Maldives is one of the preferred tourist destinations due to the conservative and eco-friendly measures taken by the people. Maldivian tourists are conscious of the need to preserve the environment.

The Maldives which began tourism with 220 beds in 1972 today has over 90 resorts, 20 guest houses, nine hotels and 131 life-board safari vessels that promotes tourism in most of its islands. Maldives has 1,200 islands with a population of around 300,000.

Prof. Sarath Kotagama of the Department of Environmental Science, University of Colombo said sustainable tourism cannot be achieved without a change of attitude. People need to value their culture and heritage and stop following the lifestyles of people in other countries.

"The potential threat to global warming has a major impact on the climate of tourist destinations. The tourism industry needs to respond to causes and not to the symptoms of climate change", he said.

Studies on global warming have revealed that sea levels will continue to rise and many small islands in the Caribbean and the Pacific will be threatened. Temperatures of tourists destinations are predicted to rise about 0.3 to 0.8 Celsius per decade.

The primary green house gas is carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is generated primarily from air travel and road transportation. The Carbon footprint is the impact that is made on climate by the amount of green house gas produced by an individual or company.

Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Renton de Alwis said responding to green guilt through tourism is more than a response to climate change.

"The tourism sector should respond to the climate change collectively and implement practical solutions to set standards for a greener destination", he said.

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Eco project to minimise global warming
 

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

The newest eco project, the JEEP (Jetwing Eternal Earth Project) was launched in Hunnasgiriya Kandy last week to minimise global warming that would otherwise endanger species on earth and cause destruction to the planet earth.

The project is associated with Sri Lanka's "Tourism Earth Lung" aimed at making Sri Lanka a Great Green Destination. Jetwing is an associate company of Hayleys Ltd. The project was launched in the presence of Minister of Environment, Patalee Champaka Ranawaka, Governor, Central Province, Tikiri Kobbekaduwa, Chairman, Central Environmental Authority, Udaya Gammanpila, Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Renton de Alwis, Ms. Iranganie Serasinghe and the Deputy Chairman Jetwing, Hiran Cooray.

It was a 30-minute drive from Kandy to Hunnas Falls hotel, bordering the knuckles range of mountains. We drove to Hunnasgiriya along a misty road that snakes through mountainous terrain. It was like the picturesque Beragala-Haputala pass and its treacherous precipice. When you arrive at Hunnas Falls tea plantation, a signboard reads "Spice Garden," an emerald tea plantation.

Several school children from the Central Province planted saplings at the Hunnas Falls tea plantation. They wore the same uniform provided by the JEEP project. About 300 children participated. Saplings were planted in 40 acres of the tea estate.

About 100 acres of land adjacent to the hotel had been allocated for this project. Under this project re-forestation will take place at Hunnas falls. (Hundred acres of the Hunnas Falls tea plantation have been allocated for this purpose). The main objective of the campaign was to educate and instill in school children the value of a safe earth for everyone.

Minister Ranawake said although environmental degradation had started 200 years ago scientists began studying the problem at a conference held in Rome in 1968. If steps were not taken to arrest the problem it will have a serious effect on the planet earth by 2050 and 2060. At the Bali conference it was suggested to set up a Green Trust on environment, he said.

Governor Kobbekaduwa questioned as to how many trees had been felled during the past few years and how many were planted instead.

There should be laws to plant trees for every tree felled. He was happy that several school children from Imbulpitiya and Elkaduwa took part in the tree planting campaign, he said.

Deputy Chairman Jetwing Group Hiran Cooray said although tree planting was not a profitable venture for the company, eco-tourism in the country could be beneficial in the long run. However, the company felt that it was their corporate responsibility to contribute towards the environment.

Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Renton de Alwis said as much as tourism needed profits one has to be mindful of changes taking place in the environment. JEEP was one such program making a solid contribution in mitigating climate changes.

" I hope this project will become an integral part of Sri Lanka's Tourism, "Towards a carbon free Sri Lanka", he said.

Irangani Serasinghe said the Jetwing Eternal Earth Project was opportune for everybody to help the world to stay forever and for people to go on living comfortably.

Siam House at BIA departure lounge

For over 15 years Siam House has been serving, authentic Thai cuisine in Colombo. This flavour is now also available at the departure lounge of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).

The new branch of Siam House has a seating capacity of over 100, and is open round the clock. Siam House at BIA is now open for the discerning traveller wishing to dine before boarding, with his guests. Both on-the-go 'light' meals and a full a la carte menu is on offer at competitive prices with subsidised meals for airport staff.

Thinakorn Kanasuta, Ambassador of Thailand in Sri Lanka, Geeth Karunaratne, Head of Commercial and Properties of Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) and Weerawat Swasdibutra, the General Manager of Thai Airways for Sri Lanka and the Maldives opened the restaurant on Monday.

Managing Director Lionel Fernando said that quality and consistency is vital in this industry.

Travel DVD on Lanka

A 40-minute travel DVD released by the Sri Lanka Tourism artistically captures the hills and valleys, forests and parks, animals big and small, people and life, places near and far, festivals and beliefs, ancient and modern, smiles, love and hospitality.

The new DVD, unfolds Sri Lanka a Land like No Other and Sri Lanka Small Island Big Trip in a trend that would attract many to this island of serendipity.

The DVD presented by the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation in collaboration with A De Z, offers a pictorial message on life, beauty, amazement, pomp and pageantry that is Sri Lankan.