TRAVEL

Ceylon Tea Trails inducted to Relais & Chateaux

by Surekha GALAGODA

Relais & Chateaux has recognised Ceylon Tea Trails' gourmet cuisine and outstanding service, with an invitation to become its latest member and the first from Sri Lanka.

Thus Sri Lanka entered the exclusive world of Relais & Chateaux with Ceylon Tea Trails as the first member.

CEO of Forbes & Walker Leisure, Dominique Nordmann attended the 36th Relais & Chateaux International Congress held in Cape Town, South Africa Nov 6-8 for the formal induction of Ceylon Tea Trails into this prestigious association of top end boutique hotels and restaurants.

Relais & Chateaux, established in France in 1954, is the hallmark authority in selecting the finest and most unique establishments around the world, such as the Bushmans Kloof Wilderness, Reserve & Wellness Retreat South Africa, Kauri Cliffs New Zealand, or UK's Amberley Castle.

Its mission is to spread its unique 'art de vivre' across the globe by selecting and representing outstanding properties with a truly unique character, vision, gourmet cuisine and outstanding service.

Ceylon Tea Trails cuisine and award-winning service in combination with the ambience of original colonial planter's bungalows and the surroundings of Sri Lanka's lush tea country, serve to position it as one of the world's most unique holiday experiences, guaranteeing an unforgettable celebration of the senses including the opportunity to experience the techniques of tea production.

Ceylon Tea Trails is the world's first tea bungalow resort connected by hiking trails, situated in the heart of Sri Lanka's tea country and comprises four colonial single storeyed tea planters' bungalows namely Castlereagh, Summerville, Norwood and Tentsin with 20 bedrooms and suites which offer gracious living. Guests are absorbed into life on a working tea estate, whilst revelling in five-star luxury.

MJF Group Director Malik Fernando, owners of Tea Trails said that this is a major achievement for Sri Lanka in the post war tourism era.

It is the direction we should take, high end tourism that has a reduced impact on our environment, and not mass scale development.

He said that the surrounding country has easy access to many activities for the adventurous: trekking, biking, kayaking, rafting and bird watching. Those wishing to relax after a whirlwind trip around Kandy and the Cultural Triangle will enjoy the gardens or taking a visit to the tea factory to learn the intricacies of production; from picking 'two leaves and a bud' through the drying, selection, packaging and more importantly tasting.

He said that in the 1950s Merrill J Fernando, his father was one of the first Ceylonese to be trained in tea production and had a dream to launch his own brand of tea. In 1988 'Dilmah' was born, coined from the names of his two sons, Dilhan and Malik. Dilmah is now a role model for other tea producing countries, pioneering the concept of 'single origin tea'. Ceylon tea is acknowledged to be the finest tea in the world.

Suchirindia, Starwood sign LOI for KEPZ hotel

Suchirindia, a diversified business group with infrastructure and hospitality development at its core and two hotels in operation in India, is to make a beginning in Sri Lanka with a 200 keys hotel at BIA in the KEPZ on 3.5 acres of BOI land.

Chairman Suchirindia Group Dr. Y. Kiran Kumar, and Senior Vice President Acquisitions and Development Starwood Asia Pacific Mathew Fry, with High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha

Suchirindia has signed a Letter Of Intent (LOI) with Starwood Asia Pacific Hotels & Resorts Pte. Ltd., an affiliate of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., after which the parties will enter into contracts for the management of the Hotel by Starwood under the Four Points by Sheraton brand.

Starwood is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with over 1,000 hotels in nearly 100 countries and territories.

The LOI was signed by Chairman Suchirindia Group Dr. Y. Kiran Kumar, and Senior Vice President Acquisitions & Development Starwood Asia Pacific Mathew Fry, in the presence of High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha in the Indian Embassy, Colombo, recently. Mihindu Keerthiratne Associates will be the architects.

The total investment is USD 25 million.

Statutory approvals are expected to be in place by the end of November together with financial closure, which is in the advanced stages of completion.

Construction of the project is expected to start in December with a target to open commercial operations by April 2013.

Malaysia Airlines showcases partnerships with US companies

Malaysia Airlines showcased its long-standing partnerships with US companies recently, featuring collaborations with key partners; Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, and GE.

The guests of honour were US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton

and Minister of Transport Malaysia, YB Dato' Seri Kong Cho Ha.

Against a backdrop of Malaysia Airlines' new B737-800 which was parked on the tarmac and a Pratt & Whitney engine, Kong said, "The United States is Malaysia's largest trading partner. Malaysia is the 15th largest trading partner of the US. Annual two-way trade amounts to more than USD40 billion. Two-way trade in services adds another $3.3 billion."

"Our economic partnerships are diverse and expanding, and the Government of Malaysia will continue to provide a conducive environment and explore avenues to increase bilateral trade.

We are eager to continue working with the US to broaden and deepen our economic relationship."

Chairman, Tan Sri Dr Munir Majid said, "Malaysia Airlines is proud to partner with Boeing, Pratt & Whitney and GE as these partnerships are the backbone of our operations - our fleet comprises Boeing planes, as well as US made engines.

"We are proud to be able to showcase the B737-800 with the new Boeing Sky Interior, of which we will be the first full service airline in the world to operate and PW engines, which will power our incoming A330-300."

Malaysia Airlines has ordered up to 55 B737-800, 25 A330-300 and 6 A380. By 2015, the national carrier of Malaysia will have one of the youngest and most environmentally friendly fleets in Asia Pacific.

Munir added, "We will start receiving the A330 from April 2011 which will provide guests with a better travel experience.

Powering the new A330 will be Pratt & Whitney engines.

We are happy with the performance of the PW engines with our current fleet of A330 and B747 aircraft. And we are confident of even better engine performance with the new engines to come."

Malaysia Airlines also enjoys a good partnership with CFM and its key

partner, GE which supplied engines for its B737-400. CFM engines will also power the new 737-800.

The B737-800 with up to 6 hours flight time arrived in Malaysia on November 1. The aircraft left Boeing field in Seattle, United States on 29 October on a 3-day multi leg journey, stopping at Hawaii, Marshall Islands and Guam before arriving at Skypark, Subang.

The inaugural flight for the B737-800 is scheduled for November 15; Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu, and from Kota Kinabalu to Haneda, Tokyo.

Sri Lanka, a safe destination to visit

Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union, Ravinatha Aryasinha said, "Sri Lanka is today one of the safest destinations in the world a tourist can expect to fly to." He was addressing passengers travelling to Sri Lanka on the maiden Brussels-Colombo direct flight, at the Brussels International Airport. The Ambassador who noted that "Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka from Belgium had increased by 82.8 percent up to September this year, said this compared well with the 50 percent increase recorded from Europe, and the 44 percent recorded from around the world, in the same period". Commending Jetairfly and Thomas Cook for being one of the first European collaborations to re-commence direct flights to Sri Lanka, he said it will be a huge boost to the marketing of the destination not only in Belgium, but also in the entire BENELUX region (Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg) and would result in an exponential growth in tourists to Sri Lanka from these countries.

He urged that visitors to Sri Lanka on their return share their experience, so that more will be encouraged to make the journey, strengthening the people-to-people bond between Europe and Sri Lanka.

SriLankan cabin crew build children's home

The cabin crew of SriLankan Airlines, famed for their caring, warmth and friendliness on board, constructed a children's home for 64 orphans in Trincomalee.

From left: FAU President Adrian Cramer, General Officer Commanding the Army’s 22nd Division, Brigadier Sumedha Perera and the Chairman of `Revatha’ D. Jayaweera at the opening of the orphanage.

The latest phase of the Revatha Lama Niwasa orphanage was completed recently, turning it into the finest children's home in the entire North and East.

SriLankan's Head of Service Delivery Captain Milinda Ratnayake said "This project will be of immense benefit to hundreds of children over the years.

The sustained support our cabin crew have provided to the children and destitute in the Trincomalee region for almost six years since the day of the Tsunami, voluntarily travelling across the island on their days-off to carry out the work is appreciated."

Located at the fifth milepost, the almost 9,000 square foot home sited on two and a half acres of land has dormitories for girls and boys, a hall with a stage, a study, a library, and a large kitchen.

Future plans include providing furniture, a well, a vegetable garden, and solar power.

The Airline's Manager In-flight Service Delivery Rashmore Ferdinands said "Our cabin crew gathered the support of many organizations and individuals in Sri Lanka and abroad to make this project a success.

The armed forces in particular gave massive support to the project, with the special forces of the Army providing labour for much of the construction.

The orphanage is even provided with meals on a daily basis by the Army, Navy and Air Force camps in the area."

Adrian Cramer, President of SriLankan Airlines' Flight Attendants Union (FAU), said: "The FAU is proud to have played a role in assisting the children of Trincomalee.

Other institutions involved in funding and assisting were mainly SASK of Finland, the International Transport Federation (ITF) and Stepping Stones of Brentwood Council (England).

The orphanage functions under a 15-member Board comprising senior government servants and leading members of the community, and is under the supervision of the Department of Probation & Childcare Services of the Eastern Provincial Council. Cabin Safety & In-flight Operations Manager Primal De Silva said: "A crucial aspect of the project has at all times been the spirit of volunteerism of the armed forces.

The labour and logistics support for the project has been mainly provided free of charge by the Army through Major General Prasanna De Silva, ensured the successful completion of the home.

We thank Rani King (England), Jessica Pulley (England), Hannu Orvo (SASK

Finland), Mahendra Sharma (ITF India), Sunny Valipuram, Major General

Prasanna De Silva, Brigadier Sumedha Perera and all members of the armed forces who assisted us throughout our work from the day of the dreadful Tsunami."