Travel

Hotel occupancy rates improve

by Lalin FERNANDOPULLE

Hotel occupancy rates have slightly improved during the first two months of the year though a downhill was expected due to the internal and global crisis, said President, Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, Srilal Miththapala.

He said though occupancy in beach resorts has been satisfactory with an average of around 60-70 per cent city hotels have not been doing well. Occupancy levels during the year has been around 90 per cent but there has been a sharp drop due to the impact of the world crisis.

"The summer holidays would be one worst seasons this year with a low turnover of visitors but an end to the war would help the industry to revive with a good winter towards the end of the year", Miththapala said.

He said though many hotels are not doing well due to the decline in the number of arrivals and the high utility cost, no hotel has stopped operations.

Miththapala said Hotel Sigiriya and Serendib have incurred an overall loss while Hotel Dolphin has performed well.The properties in the cultural triangle have been affected due to the slump in tourist arrivals last year.

"The stimulus package pledged by the government for the revival of the tourism industry is a timely intervention and would certainly help hotels to sustain operations during difficult times. The performance based support package is yet under negotiations", he said.

The tsunami recovery loans, rescheduling of loans, waving off the 15 per cent fuel surcharge and economic surcharge have helped the industry to a great deal.

The tourism industry is expecting around 400,000 tourists this year but achieving the target will be an uphill task with the recession intensifying in the US and Europe and the security situation in the country.

Tourist arrivals up to September last year reported a 9.5 per cent decline over the corresponding period in 2007. The Eastern Europe, Middle East and the Latin American and caribbean markets had a significant growth though traditional markets failed.

Promotional activities have been planned to woo tourists and revamp the industry that has been going through challenging time.

Special tour packages will be on offer with discounts on transport fares, hotel rates and cultural triangle tickets for a specified time.

Indulgences at Cinnamon Grand

Indulgence comes in many forms at the Cinnamon Grand. They present a dazzling host of choices when it comes to selecting a dining option. Be it an informal lunch with family, an intimate dinner with that special someone or a hearty Sunday meal, customers will not be left wanting in any capacity. Rounding off the scrumptious dining options are thoughtful extras such as free pool usage to indulge patrons even further. Make the Cinnamon Grand your stop for the best culinary promotions.

Saturday's BBQ promotion kicks off at 5.30 pm at the Balinese inspired Breeze Bar. Enjoy a sizzling array of smoky BBQ dishes with the ultimate outdoor dining experience. The best of blues serenade while you eat and patrons are free to take a dip in the pool. Dishes include Mustard marinated pork chop, Creamy potato salad, smoky Tandoori marinated boneless chicken leg, tender Sirloin beef, and juicy Lemon and chilli marinated Jumbo prawns! Appetizers range from corn on the cob and crunchy garlic toast to fresh bread rolls with butter and much more.

The Lagoon's Maalu Maalu promotion gives customers a delightfully traditional all you can eat Sunday seafood lunch experience from 12 noon to 2.30 pm. Focusing on classic home cooked dishes, this buffet promises to echo memories of childhood meals! Free pool usage and a 50 per cent discount on all local beers and spirits are part of this wonderfully unique promotion. Choose from appetising bites such as karalla, salaya and fried baby squid. The main meal overflows with flavour with an expansive spread consisting of dishes such as fried rice, devilled fish roe, prawn curry, cuttlefish and fish head curry. A selection of country vegetables will also be available. All this along with palate pleasing accompaniments such as pol sambol, pickle and dried fish.

On Sunday afternoons, Cheers Pub is transformed into a traditional British Carvery! From 12 noon to 3 pm, patrons can indulge in a deliciously fresh Sunday Roast menu, surrounded by the ambience of an authentic pub.

The Sunday Carvery offers cooked meat freshly sliced to order for customers accompanied by a range of vegetables and gravy. Roast leg of lamb, Roast Rib Roll and Roast Chicken satisfy the hunger pangs of meat lovers. For bona fide British dishes look no further than Yorkshire Pudding, Sage and Onion stuffing, Grilled tomato and Grilled Onions. As accompaniments, a choice of Roast gravy, Horseradish sauce, mint sauce and mustard is offered. Fresh vegetables include Broccoli and Cauliflower, Carrot, Green Bean, Green Bean and Kernel Corn, Roast Potato, Parsley Potato and Boiled Vegetables.

All this coupled with the pub's drinks menu ensures that customers have a stunning variety of beverages to complement their delicious meal.

Cathay offers family holiday in Bangkok

Cathay Pacific offers a economy package to Bangkok in time for the forthcoming April school holidays. The truly irresistible package starts at an incredible Rs. 27,600 per person sharing twin hotel accommodation for 2 nights and 3 days with breakfast plus airport transfers in luxurious comfort.

That's not all. The package includes a complimentary entrance ticket to the delightful Siam Park where the family can enjoy fun and frolic to their hearts' content at the renowned theme park. Upgrading to business class is possible by paying an additional sum. All rates exclude taxes.

The fabulous Bangkok package ends on 30 April. Sales & Marketing Manager for Cathay Pacific Airways, Colombo Ruhan Abbas said, "It offers a great opportunity for families to enjoy a memorable holiday during the school vacation in Bangkok when Colombo practically comes to a standstill for Avurudu.

"The amazingly low pricing is specially designed to attract young families, and it is a great chance to experience the sights and sounds of Bangkok while relaxing together."

Dismantling aircraft:

SriLankan Engineering awarded contract

SriLankan Engineering achieved yet another milestone in its quest to become an aircraft maintenance organisation of choice in the region when it was contracted to dismantle an entire Airbus A320 aircraft that is being taken apart by its owner, at end of the lease with SriLankan.

The project for AAR Corporation, a company based in the United States that owns and leases aircraft to airlines around the world, is the first aircraft dismantling program undertaken by SriLankan Engineering.

The project involves separating all of the thousands of usable parts and systems on the aircraft, packing them, and shipping them to the owning company. The work was carried out over just six weeks. The parts will be used as spares for other aircraft. D.A.G. Jayasuriya, Acting Head of SriLankan Engineering, said: "In the past such a project would have been carried out in the United States or elsewhere. But AAR Corporation awarded the contract to SriLankan Engineering, since we now have the expertise and our rates are very competitive."

The aircraft was one which SriLankan Airlines had leased over the last five years and retired recently during its re-fleeting program. Sri Lanka's National Carrier is currently replacing its older aircraft with more modern ones, the first having arrived last November, with the second expected in March.

"This dismantling program has also given our engineering staff some invaluable exposure, and we hope to take on more such dismantling projects soon," said Jayasuriya.

SriLankan Engineering, which holds the prestigious EASA 145 certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), is taking on a growing number of projects for airlines and other members of the global air transport industry. Its training wing SriLankan Technical Training holds the EASA 147 certification to provide training in Aircraft Maintenance to foreign and local students.

SriLankan possesses a modern hangar facility and engineering workshops at Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport, and its services have been contracted for major aircraft maintenance projects by other airlines such as Emirates, Airblue, and IndiGo. These projects take place simultaneously with SriLankan Engineering's day to day maintenance work on SriLankan's Airlines' own fleet. The efficiency of SriLankan Engineering also played a major role in SriLankan Airlines being awarded two prestigious titles by Airbus Industries for Operational Excellence among all small airlines that operate the 4-engined A340 and twin-engined A330 aircraft.