AASL launches airport Christmas shopping festival

by Sanjeevi Jayasuriya

Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Limited (AASL) launched a mega seasonal promotion at the two international airport premises to boost the country's image as a shopping destination.

After four successful years under the banner 'BIA Christmas Shopping Festival', this year the AASL has re-named this seasonal promotion 'Airport Christmas Shopping Festival 2014-15' giving a live shopping experience to departing and arriving passengers through the Bandaranaike International Airport and the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA).

The shopping festival is a collective effort of the two airports and AASL.

The inaugural festival was launched in 2010 and since then the BIA Christmas shopping festival has been an annual event which passengers and shop owners at the airport looked forward to.

The shopping festival will reward passengers passing through BIA and MRIA while enhancing sales at duty-free shops.

The promotion ends next month.

Any traveller making purchases to the value of US $ 10 or more at any outlet in the departure or transit area or arrival duty free complex will be eligible to participate in the raffle draw.

Purchases to the value of US $ 50 or more will entitle passengers to play a game of golf and win instant prizes.

The grand prize at the raffle draw will be a Cherry J3 car sponsored by Ideal Cherry Automobiles (Pvt) Ltd while Nations Trust Bank and Dialog are the other sponsors and prizes worth over Rs. 1 million will be awarded.

"The event coincides with the 102nd anniversary of the AASL. The peaceful environment has enabled us to conduct the shopping festival," Chairman, AASL, Prasanna Wickramasuriya said.

With the second national airport in place, Sri Lanka is geared to cater to an increased number of passengers.