Travel

Tourism industry welcomes relief package

Timely intervention by Govt.

by Lalin FERNANDOPULLE

The stakeholders of the tourism industry welcoming the relief package for the tourism sector said that it is a timely intervention by the government to help the industry which is facing a major setback due to the global economic turmoil.

The Central Bank has called upon all licensed commercial banks and specialised banks to grant a six month moratorium on outstanding credit facilities to hotel operators commencing from January provided the companies retain the employees at levels prevailing at December last year.

Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism, George Michael said the concessions will be a great relief to the tourism industry at a time of crisis and help promote the destination.

The concessions include recovery of capital and interest falling due during the moratorium period, from January 2010 in 36 equal instalments and a concessionary interest rate to be charged for the facility, waiving the penal interest imposed on any defaulted credit facilities taken by the hotel operator and continuing to maintain non-performing loans in the same category for provisioning purposes during the moratorium.

Tourism in Sri Lanka has been going through a bad phase in the recent years due to the decline in tourist arrivals resulting in low hotel occupancy and many small hotels in the provinces facing a closure.

Tourism industry experts said this year will be one of the worst years for global tourism due to the drastic reduction in travelling. Arrivals from USA and Europe which are Sri Lanka's major tourist markets will decline due to the intensity of the recession. Managing Director Jetwing Hotels, Hiran Cooray said the relief package given to tourism will be an impetus to the industry which has been going through difficult times.

"Sri Lanka as a prime tourist destination in the region has the potential to achieve much more than the target set this year on tourist arrivals. The beaches, the beautiful surroundings, hospitality and the fine resorts could woo more tourists to the country", Cooray said.

Global tourism will face a drastic decline this year with the recession spreading to many countries. Sri Lanka's tourism industry has set a target of 400,000 tourist arrivals this year which is a 10 per cent drop from last year's arrivals of 438,000. Experts in the tourism industry said that the country lost around Rs. 6 trillion from tourism potential. Sri Lanka is one of the finest destinations in the world with the potential to attract more tourists.

"There has been a 10 per cent year-on-year drop in tourist arrivals and this year would be one of the worst years for the industry due to the global recession. Last year's arrivals of 438,000 is not a significant growth compared to the 335,000 tourists recorded in 1983", experts said.

President Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, Sri Lal Miththapala said an early end to the war will result in an upsurge in tourists arrivals. The world recession would be a major challenge.

"A large number of expatriates are expected to return to the country if peace is restored. The return of the diaspora will bring in much needed foreign exchange to the country", he said.

Sri Lankan tourism will focus on developing the Indian and Middle Eastern markets. Europe is a major market for Sri Lanka though there was a significant decline in arrivals last year. The Middle Eastern, Latin American and Caribbean and Eastern Europe markets recorded a significant growth.

Miththapala said the development of the Kalpitiya tourism zone will be a resurgence to the tourism industry which has been facing challenging times.

The Tourism Development Authority with the assistance of the Foreign Ministry has embarked on a mega tourism promotional campaign to market the destination.

Jetwing celebrates earth day

An associate company of the conglomerate, Hayleys and Jetwing Travels, held Jetwing Earth Day to celebrate the success of their CSR initiative, Jetwing Eternal Earth Project (JEEP), at Jetwing Hunnas Falls, Elkaduwa, Kandy under the auspices of the Chairman, Tourism Development Authority, Bernard Gunatilleke, recently.

All present had the opportunity to plant a tree in the 100 acre Analogue Forestation site at Hunnas Falls. In an attempt to minimise global warming and its negative effects on mankind, this project is also associated with Sri Lanka Tourism's `Earth Lung' initiative aiming at making Sri Lanka a Great Green Destination.

Under this project a model reforestation concept was implemented which can be replicated in many other zones and small scale plots of land. An approximate 8 acres have been planted so far with 1200 trees under the Analogue Forestry and Forest Garden concepts. A one thousand trees came from hotel guests in an effort to neutralize effects of carbon emissions due to their travel which is the basis of funding for this project. The key objective of this project is to use this model and its process as a method of educating the school children, to enable them to secure a safe earth for themselves and generations after. `Each Jetwing Hotel takes over two foster schools per year, educating them on Global Warming, Bio-diversity, Home and School Gardening and Earth Saving Best Practices'.

The project receives the support of principals, teachers and students from schools in the vicinity who visit the forest project and carry out voluntary tasks of caring for the earth and plants.

Travellers rewarded by Emirates
 

The three winners (from left) Praveen Viswakumaran, Anoop Kundanmal and Preethilal Fernando with Emirates Sales Manager Devika Ellepola.

Three air travellers were given a flying start to the new year by Emirates when they were presented with 250,000 Skywards Miles from its frequent flyer program. Messrs Anoop Kundanmal, Preethilal Fernando and Praveen Viswakumaran each won 100,000, 75,000 and 75,000 Skywards Miles from Emirates at the conclusion of a promotion conducted by the airline in association with the Trans Asia Hotel.

All they had to do was to fill in detachable coupons on tags attached to their laundry by the hotel's launderette and spend Rs. 7,500 or more at one of its signature restaurants to participate in this unusual promotion. The Skywards Miles won can be redeemed for free tickets on Emirates, for upgrades or a host of other benefits.

"The response to this promotion was most encouraging", Devika Ellepola, Emirates' Sales Manager in Sri Lanka said. "It was a pleasant and engaging little surprise to the customers of the Trans Asia's launderettes, and provided Emirates with a novel medium to communicate with this segment."

One of the world's fastest-growing international airlines, Emirates, operates 17 services a week from Colombo to Dubai and four services a week from Colombo to Singapore.

SriLankan Holidays launches shop-over booklet

SriLankan Holidays has launched a ground breaking "shop-over booklet", a discount booklet which is the latest value addition to the total holiday experience provided by the award-winning leisure arm of SriLankan Airlines.

The booklet contains exciting discount vouchers from over a dozen popular establishments in Colombo, which entitle customers of SriLankan Holidays to up to 25 per cent off.

SriLankan Holidays has rapidly built up a solid reputation as one of the most dynamic inbound and outbound tour operators in Sri Lanka. It won the accolade of Best Outbound Tour Operator at the recent Presidential Awards for Travel and Tourism.

SriLankan Holidays' General Manager Amith Sumanapala said: "We at SriLankan Holidays are always looking for more ways and means to make our customers' total holiday experience even more complete. The shop-over discount booklet is our way of rewarding customers for booking their holiday with us, and visiting Sri Lanka."

The booklet is distributed to all clients of SriLankan Holidays, including those who book vacations from SriLankan Holidays global network of franchise operators.

Sumanapala added: "We are encouraging people to come to Sri Lanka and enjoy their shopping time at Colombo's leading malls and stores.

We had an excellent response from the city's major establishments, and we intend to update the booklet to include even more shops."

Desserts galore at the 'Coffee Stop'

Launching on February 1, the Coffee Stop commences its new dessert menu, guaranteed to send those with a penchant for sweets into ecstasies. Throughout the month of February from 7 pm onwards, the Coffee Stop plays host to a vast array of delicious and tempting candies, sweets, chocolates, puddings and much more!

The Coffee Stop, ideally located just off the hotel's main foyer, is a piazza style cafe, perfect for a dessert indulgence after a hearty meal. Indulge in the sweetest treats the Cinnamon Grand has to offer along with some mini desserts. This novel concept includes bite sized desserts to chomp down on the go or to take home to family. Desserts include the familiar favourites such as mousse, puddings, tarts and chocolates. More exotic and unique dishes are also available for the adventurous: Nutella Cup, Jagerry Pudding and others.

Even indulging in a rich, delectable dessert at the Stop is an experience. Listen to the soulful songs of the live musicians while enjoying a thick strawberry mousse. Or watch Colombo go by while partaking in a creamy Mango Orange Lemon Jelly Yoghurt. Dessert possibilities are now endless at the 'Coffee Stop'!