Travel Lanka - best Travel Magazine

Travel Lanka has been awarded the prize for the Best Travel Magazine in Sri Lanka by the Chamber of Tourism and Industry, Sri Lanka.

In its 21st year of continuous publication, Travel Lanka is the only regularly updated Tourist Information Book in Sri Lanka, recognised by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and widely distributed in the country to serve tourists and stakeholders in the tourism Industry.

Travel Lanka Award

Piyarathna Hewabatage

The award was given at a special ceremony organised jointly by the Chamber of Tourism and Industry - Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Tourism Industry - Eastern Province, held at the Hotel Pacific Grounds, Arugam Bay, as part of their program to celebrate World Tourism Day 2014.

It was presented by British High Commissioner in Sri Lanka John Rankin to the publisher of the magazine Piyarathna Hewabatage who is also the Heritage House & Pace Publishers Chairman.

The only regularly updated Tourist Information Book published in Sri Lanka, Travel Lanka, now in its 21st year of uninterrupted publication, having continued to provide information to tourists and the tourism industry, published without a break even through the many difficult years for tourism.

The publication continued during the most difficult period for tourism, due to terrorism, when many hotels, travel agencies and other tourism services were closed and the hotels that remained open needed state assistance for their upkeep.

This publication battled hard under these circumstances, with no state or other assistance, and kept up the regular information to the tourists that visited Sri Lanka.

With the restoration of peace, the new emphasis on the tourism sector and the resultant growth in tourism, the publication has been improved to meet wider demands for information, with expanded circulation.

There are good articles of topical interest every month, with plenty of information on the tourist related events of the current and following month, good recommendations for special tours, with plenty of photographs and maps of suggested tours that make tour planning easy for individual tourists or the travel agencies.

The contribution by Travel Lanka to the progress of the tourism industry has been widely recognised by the stakeholders of the industry in both the state and private sectors.

In his message to mark the 21st year of publication President Mahinda Rajapaksa said, "As it steps into the 21st year of publication Travel Lanka completes a commendable record of service to the tourism industry. It stands today as the only Tourist Information Book in the country, which is updated every month, with information on visitor attractions, events, shopping, restaurants, accommodation, recreation and all other services and facilities for tourists.

The publication has the credit of being with the tourism industry, especially during its difficult period before peace was restored in the country, which shows its strong commitment to the progress of tourism."

"It now provides information to the vastly increasing tourist arrivals, and is a valuable source of ready and handy information to visitors, keeping up to the best standards in the quality of information with good features and maps for tour planning. I commend Travel Lanka for the ready and continuing assistance which it has provided to the tourism authorities and the industry in the important field of Tourist Information. I wish it continued success in this work in keeping with the growth of tourism in the country", President Rajapaksa added.

The magazine is recognised by the Sri Lanka Tourist Promotion Bureau, and is distributed through its Travel Information Centres, the Bandaranaike International Airport and hotels. It is extremely well received and is entirely funded by advertising revenue.

Piyaratne Hewabatage, the publisher of Travel Lanka, is a renowned artist who inspires his creations with a sense of style, elegance, and a personalised approach creating total perfection.

Having started his career at Grant Advertising, he had a very long association with tourism in Sri Lanka, being Design Editor of the Ceylon Tourist Board from 1970, from the time of its first Editor, Neville Weeraratne, and held this position till 1983, when he designed many prize winning publications such as brochures, diaries, and newsletters, and exhibition stalls for the Tourist Board.

After he left the Tourist Board he returned to advertising, and in 1993 launched Travel Lanka, the monthly updated Tourist Information Book, the only such book in Sri Lanka that serves the Tourism Industry.

His work has received awards from the Ceylon Tourist Board, Ministry of Environment - Singapore, and Mona Bismarck Foundation -Paris, as well winning the Presidential Award for the Best Book Cover, assigned as Official Designer as well as the Publisher for the 10th South Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) General Assembly by the National Olympic Committee (NOC). He is the Managing Director of Pace Publishers and Piyaratne Hewabatage Associates - the publishers of Travel Lanka.