Travel

Cinnamon Lakeside entices Winter visitors

By Lalin FERNANDOPULLE

Hotel occupancy rate this winter is expected to be over 60 percent, because of the peaceful environment prevailing in the country, said General Manager of Cinnamon Lakeside, Neroy Marso.

Cinnamon Lakeside previously known as Trans Asia which underwent refurbishment at a cost of Rs. 500 million commenced operations this week, under the Cinnamon brand of John Keells Holdings Ltd.

Marso said with the dawn of a new era tourism in Sri Lanka will bounce back. A large number of expatriates and tourists are expected for this winter.

"Cinnamon Lakeside is geared to make it an exciting experience for the expatriates and other who will be eagerly looking forward for a fun-filled holiday", he said.

The hotel's occupancy rate was around 45 percent early this year, this recording a 12 percent growth against last year. Tourism last year faced a setback due to the global economic crisis which forced the tour operators to go for a cut down. Marso said the '7o North Restaurant of the hotel which overlooks the Beira Lake will be an attraction to all. The restaurant serves some of the finest Mediterranlan cuisine and Tapas accompanied with jazz music and beverages.

The hotel has lined up a series of activities to entertain visitors during the year end holiday culminating with the Christmas program.

The spacious lobby dotted with modernised restaurants for the business community and the leisure sector are some of the unique features of the newly branded hotel.

"The food and beverage sector is the main source of revenue for the hotel. The Indian travel market contributes a major share to the hotel's MICE tourism sector. A Foreign Ministry delegation from Asian countries is expected next month which will benefit city hotels", Marso said.

Travel and Tourism under Pandemic Conditions

UNWTO Preparing For The Challenges Ahead In view of the current influenza A(H1N1) pandemic, UNWTO held a two-day review and preparation exercise on 'Travel and Tourism under Pandemic Conditions' in Madrid 26-27 August. The workshop was convened to anticipate the challenges the virus will bring over the next few months and ensure that the travel and tourism sector is fully prepared for the evolving pandemic.

The event brought together representatives from 33 public administrations, the private sector (transport, hospitality and travel services) and relevant International Organizations to increase preparedness for the second wave of the pandemic, expected to coincide with the beginning of the flu season in the Northern Hemisphere this coming fall.

The participants discussed actions undertaken by the sector in the context of the general industrial response and stressed the need for a transparent, consistent and timely exchange of information and communication among the different stakeholders of the sector.

In particular, participants welcomed the regular exchanges within the Tourism Emergency Response Network, managed by UNWTO, and encouraged its consolidation.

To avoid unnecessary disruptions it was recommended that countries should review and confirm that tourism is appropriately included in overall pandemic preparedness plans.

A number of recommendations were made to improve business continuity, including inclusion of crucial functions in the sector among the priority groups in vaccination plans.

This is especially important as tourism is important for the economy of most countries and pivotal for the poorest states.

The event included presentations by experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) explaining the status of the spread and impact of the virus. It was underscored that travel limitations would not limit the spread of A(H1N1) because it is already 'the dominant influenza strain in most parts of the world'.

'This review was timely and exceptionally helpful to strengthen our sector's preparedness and to ensure that tourism and travel continues to be effectively embedded in the global pandemic response', said UNWTO Assistant Secretary-General Geoffrey Lipman. 'We particularly appreciate the involvement and leadership of the World Health Organization'.

In line with WHO recommendations, the event stressed that travellers should be vigilant about their own health, stay informed and follow fundamental hygiene precautionary measures such as frequent hand washing and proper cough etiquette. It was also emphasised that travellers should ensure that their travel insurance will cover unforeseen flu related costs in the event they fall sick away from home and should take medical advice should they experience flu symptoms immediately before, during or after travel.

Kingfisher plans Colombo Mumbai flights

Kingfisher Airlines, India's only Five Star airline rated by Skytrax, has appointed Rohan Siriwardene as Area Manager for Kingfisher Airlines for Sri Lanka and the Maldives this was said at a press conference held recently. Siriwardene will lead the sales and market development efforts for Kingfisher Airlines in the region.

Vice President-Global Sales, Kingfisher Airlines Limited Siva Ramachandran said, "Siriwardene brings with him over two decades of senior management experience in the airline industry gained through a long and well-established career both in Sri Lanka and abroad. His proven track record coupled with his unique experience made him the ideal choice for this position. Sri Lanka is a very important market for us and Siriwardene and his team supported by our business partners will work towards enhancing our market share and expanding the distribution network in the region. With the excellent support that we have received from our General Sales Agent Aitken Spence PLC, we are confident of growing the market in Sri Lanka."

"I am excited at the huge opportunity that exists for Kingfisher Airlines in the Sri Lankan market and with the unparalleled domestic network in India and its growing international footprint, we are strongly positioned to move forward even in these difficult and challenging environment," said Siriwardene.

Kingfisher Airlines commenced flights from India to Sri Lanka in January 2009 and since then has gone on to launch four new international routes with the launch of flights from Mumbai to London Heathrow, Bangalore to Dubai, Kolkata to Dhaka and most recently, from Kolkata to Bangkok.

Kingfisher Airlines also announced a roadmap for the next phase of its international routes and detailed plans for 8 new overseas routes. Daily direct flights will be launched connecting Mumbai with Hong Kong from September 15, 2009 while the Mumbai - Singapore flights will commence from September 16, 2009. These will be operated using the brand new Airbus A330-200 aircraft.

In addition to this, 3 new routes are proposed to be launched out of New Delhi. Kingfisher Airlines has applied to the Ministry of Civil Aviation to commence operations on the New Delhi - London - New Delhi sector. The flights on this route will also be operated using the Airbus A330-200 and launch dates will be announced once the requisite regulatory approvals are in place. The launch of this new route will mark the first time that Kingfisher Airlines will commence international flights out of New Delhi. Besides this route, there are plans to start flights from New Delhi to Bangkok and from New Delhi to Dubai. The flights on these two routes will be operated using the Airbus A320/A321 aircraft.

There are also plans to commence flights between Mumbai and Bangkok, between Mumbai and Dubai and between Mumbai and Colombo. The flights on these routes will also be operated using the Airbus A320/A321 aircraft.

"The plan to launch these new services is consistent with our goal of redeploying capacity on routes with better yields. Our assessment of travel behaviour in these markets, flyer preferences and projected demand indicates promising potential on these eight new international routes. We see potential in the Sri Lankan market and have plans to operate flights on the Mumbai - Colombo - Mumbai route and have applied for requisite permissions. We will continue to look for more growth opportunities in Sri Lanka in the future too and we will move quickly to tap them" said Ramachandran.

Siriwardene said that kingfisher will use the right aircraft on the right route commenting on future plans to fly direct from Mumbai to Colombo.