Business travel

Soothing fragrance of Siddhalepa Veda Gedera

The annual pilgrimage to Adam's Peak began on Unduwap Full Moon Day on December 23 from the Galpottawala temple. Thousands of devotes undertake this journey.

Devotees spend months preparing and planning for the ascent to the Holy Mountain. Those who come from far away places take five to six hours to reach Nallathanni. A non-stop journey from Nallatanni to the Sri Pa Maluwa takes seven to eight hours. The experience of pilgrims bears testimony to this gruelling aspect of the holy pilgrimage.

Two miles beyond Nallatanni, tired pilgrims are greeted by the Siddhalepa Veda Gedara (House of Medicine) at Gangulatenna, a facility that Hettigoda Industries Ltd. has provided for over three decades for the benefit and well-being of Sri Pada pilgrims.

This service is rendered by experienced, efficient and hospitable Siddhalepa staff. You can earn a well deserved time of rest in a warm room with attached bath, hot water and other facilities. You can also make advanced bookings for accommodation. At the Siddhalepa Veda Gedera you can refresh yourself and partake of a hygienically prepared, tasty, nutritious meal.

The Siddhalepa Veda Gedera experience in many ways complements the spiritual experience of the Sri Pada pilgrimage.

Head, hand, foot and body massages are provided by experienced masseurs at the first aid camps day and night.

The Siddhalepa Veda Gedera has an ambience of its own set in natural surroundings and constructed with architectural elegance.

No sooner you enter it you will imbibe the soothing fragrance of ayurveda and the aura of nature's bounty, all of which will give you and your family a deep sense of serenity and peace.

The Sri Pada pilgrimage can be divided into two stages - in the first stage you restore your energy at the Siddhalepa Veda Gedera and in the second stage you begin your climb with your energy renewed.

Having worshipped the Holy Foot Print and paid obeisance to God Sumana Saman, enter the Siddhalepa Veda Gedera, refresh yourself, and after a change of clothing, partake of a good meal and then make your homeward journey with a sense of deep fulfilment.

Heritance Kandalama wins Presidential awards

Aitken Spence Group bags most awards:

Heritance Kandalama received the Presidential Award for the Best 5-Star Resort while Dimuthu Kumarasinghe, Skills Development Chef of the Aitken Spence Group won the award for the Best Chef at the Presidential Awards for Travel and Tourism Excellence 2007 at the Presidential Secretariat.

The Aitken Spence Group was the most awarded group at the Awards, bagging five awards including the Best Destination Management Company and Best Professional Conference Organisation (PCO).

Heritance Kandalama has positioned Sri Lanka on the global tourism map with its recent recognition as one of the Top 15 Green Hotels of the World by the popular US-based Travel and Leisure magazine published by American Express Publishing Corporation.

Designed by world-renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa, the hotel has also been recognised by the United Nations Global Compact Network Sri Lanka as one of the corporate sector's top five best practices.

The hotel is the first super brand hotel in Sri Lanka with ISO 22000 HACCP certification and ISO 14001 environmental certification.

It is also a tourism symbol promoting Sri Lanka's cultural heritage with its strategic setting amidst the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Dambulla Cave Temple and the Sigiriya Rock Fortress.

Appetising starter for Emirates in 2008

Emirates, the global airline flying to six continents started the year on a sweet note with the 'The Most Creative Business Cabin Food and Beverage of the Year' award from MICE Travel, China.

The MICE China Industry Awards will organise the best performers of 2007 in the sector. Finalists were chosen by a panel of judges comprising highly-respected travel professionals, university professors and online Chinese netizens.

Editor in Chief, MICE Travel, Yi Wei said: "MICE Travel is the authoritative voice of the MICE industry in China and the award is a commendation for Emirates' great contribution to the creative F&B services in its business class by our professional judges and readers.

We believe Emirates, a pioneer of the industry, will make persistent efforts to develop its creative inflight services." The airline's First and Business Class passengers can order multi-course meals created by top international chefs from an extensive menu including stylish sundries such as hot toast and cappuccino coffee at any time via a phone call to the crew.

Emirates' Business class passengers are treated to a sumptuous array of hot breakfasts, pastries, five-course meals and dessert.

Emirates' Divisional Senior Vice President Service Delivery, Terry Daly said, "In-flight catering is a source of pride for Emirates, and we treat our passengers as discerning gourmets. Our passengers can look forward to the finest cuisines, complemented by beverages sourced from some of the oldest and best known suppliers worldwide.

Tourism industry to deal with green guilt

The Responsible Tourism Partnership (RTP) said that Sri Lanka's contribution to global warming - emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) is negligible. No matter how green we are already, the adverse impact of the anticipated changes arising out of global warming will affect Sri Lanka and our tourism industry.

In an attempt to engage a wider group of stakeholders in the tourism industry and other related agencies to respond to Climate Change, the RTP held its sustainable tourism forum on climate change recently titled 'Towards A Carbon Neutral Sri Lanka: Building Tourism Partnerships'.

This highly relevant topic was presented well by bringing together a panel of speakers not only from Sri Lanka but also from the Maldives and the United Kingdom, which included Climate Change experts, key government agencies and strong environmental voices.

Deputy Minister of Tourism, Faiszer Musthapha said that "In the last couple of years there has been such a big noise made about climate change and global warming". He said that, "We do not have any doubts about global warming. It is a reality. It is a definite fact.

Scientists have proved it, governments have accepted it and businesses are already playing their part the world over. The talking stage is now over and everyone is getting ready with their action plans".

Sri Lanka has long been serious about protecting its natural environment and the tourism industry too has been very sensitive towards protected species, natural parks and conservation.