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| Sunday, 7 May 2006 |
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John Keells unveils Chaaya Village Habarana by Elmo Leonard Going the way of the relaunch of Colombo's prime property of Oberoi fame into the Cinnamon Grand just months ago, the same company, John Keells Hotels now apply the same intricate marketing design in relaunching Village Habarana as Chaaya Village Habarana. The Cinnamon Grand comes under the Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts brand. The Cinnamon, up-market proposition will be extended to the Trans Asia hospitality unit, and beyond within that portfolio. In like manner, Chaaya Village Habarana comes under the chain, Chaaya Hotels and Resorts. Other hotels which would come under the Chaaya brand will be the Hakuraa Club in the Maldives, The Citadel Kandy and Yala Village in Sri Lanka. This branding strategy will also be extended to the newly acquired resort hotels by the John Keells conglomerate. "If fit to be brought under the Chaaya brand," CEO of Chaaya Hotels and Resorts, Jayantissa Kehelpannala said. John Keells new strategy is to extend their services from owning and managing hotels to managing hospitality properties owned by other hoteliers, deputy chairman of John Keells, Ajith Gunawardena said. The brand was launched at the ITB Tourism Fair in Berlin early this year as part of a multiple branding and focused marketing strategy of JKH's hotel portfolio. The name Chaaya comes from the classical Sanskrit. It means shadow, shade, image or trace. It was selected because the new brand and all its properties will mirror their surrounding rather than intrude upon them. True to this artifice, nature around this dry zone expanse is maximised upon. Local tourists will be afforded this new opportunity, beginning today and 30 percent of its clientele are locals, Kehelpannala said. Overseas tour operators will commence bookings under the Chaaya concept for the winter season. The tourists will be afforded the option to pre-book and pre-package the experience they prefer. Chaaya Village Habarana is a village in which life is just as idyllic as a painted picture post card, the ad runs on. It is a place where men, women, children, elephants, buffalo, storks, heron, temples, palaces and ruins convene as night follows day. The people here, are eager to share their lives. The wildlife mirrors itself for man's regard and if you persist, you can touch history. Habarana is in close proximity to the epicentre of archaeological interest, the historic cities of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Trincomalee, Dambulla cave temples, Aukana Buddha statue and the magical Ritigala hill. There are elephant safaris, bird watching, jeep safaris, biking, trekking and kayaking on offer. One option, is the Fish-er-way, where the expert guide will take you on the traditional oruwa (narrow wooden boat) to glide through the vast water body and cast nets the traditional way, moving stealthily amidst myriad water lilies, lotus and bird species. Contrary to the low physical activity option is another, termed, Adrenalin and Adventure. Here, you tramp through the woods, explore centuries old caves and cavernous boulders en route to "Kaludiya Pokunuwa" (Black Water Pool) on an early morning adventure and much more for the day. Another package is In One With Nature, you take a walk at sunrise to the scrub forests bordering the village of Hiriwadunna famed for spotting of some 130 bird species and a variety of rare butterflies and dragonflies. There is the stunning reservoir, in the backdrop of a green vegetation of the surrounding wetlands. In the mid-morning you drive to Dambulla you could trek through the lush forest reserves of "Namal Uyana", the largest "Na" tree (Sri Lanka's national tree) reserve in the South Asian region. Another option is the Native Cues, taking you into village life, a
waiting bullock cart. There is also authentic village lunch among many other
attractions. |
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