Diethelm Travels joins Germany's FTI Group to launch cruises

Diethelm Travel Sri Lanka and the FTI Group, one of Germany's leading tour operators has organised the operation of cruises between Dubai and Colombo calling at Muscat, Mumbai, Goa and Kochi next winter. The FTI BERLIN will sail to the Port of Colombo on a regular basis with its 4000 up-market Austrian, German and Swiss clientele over a period of four months.

Director Operations, FTI Touristik, Germany Lal Wijesinghe addresses the media. Also in the picture from left are Ms Resident Manager FTI Touristik Germany, Andrea Breher ,(Harbour Master, Sri Lanka Ports Authority), Capt. Ravi A. Jayawickreme ,Chairman, Diethelm Travel Sri Lanka, Abbas Esufally ,Director General of Customs, Sri Lanka Customs, W. A. Chulananda Perera (Controller General, Department of Immigration and Emigration,Dr. Neville Goonewardena and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Dileep Mudadeniya

Chairman of Diethelm Travel SL, Abbas Esufally, a subsidiary of Hemas Holdings PLC under whose purview Diethelm said that this cruise is unique, especially for Sri Lanka's buoyant and rapidly growing tourism industry. "This is an exceptional project which will bring in high spending tourists to Sri Lanka.

Given the profile of the mainly high-end clientele, a project of this magnitude is a vital shot in the arm for our tourist industry, from the simple batik sellers, mask-makers and other simple artisans to Colombo's restaurants and high-end hotels across the country. The dividends, in the long term, augur well for the local tourist industry.

Not only will it boost the industry, but will also act as a viable spring board to showcase Sri Lanka as a multi-faceted and internationally attractive destination".

FTI BERLIN, the 206 cabin flagship cruise liner of the FTI Group will call at and depart Colombo ten times between December 2012 and March 2013. It will cruise from Dubai / Colombo / Dubai (embarkation and disembarkation in Dubai and Colombo) with stops in Muscat and the Indian ports of Mumbai, Goa and Kochi.

The FTI BERLIN will arrive in Colombo for the first time on 5 December, 2012. The approximately 400 passengers on each cruise will disembark in Colombo, while another 400 guests will start their cruise back to Dubai on the same route. All passengers disembarking or starting their cruise in Sri Lanka have the option of spending additional holidays in Sri Lanka - on the beaches or on round trips.

Says FTI's Group CEO, Dietmar Gunz, "Colombo is a great port of destination and departure for the FTI BERLIN in the upcoming winter season. We are assured to be successful with this innovative cruise routing between Dubai and Sri Lanka. It will support the touristic development in Sri Lanka a lot - as past experience has shown that successful ideas will attract more business".

Esufally added that given the anticipated success of this venture, FTI Touristik is also exploring the possibility of including the ports of Trincomalee and Hambantota at a future date, thereby giving the project a greater dimension and taking it to a different level.