Archives

DAILY NEWS  Travel

Tourist Board to set minimum criteria

by Tharika Goonathilake

The Sri Lanka Tourist Board will shortly Gazette the minimum criteria for the operation and promotion of Ayurvedic units in tourist hotels and guest houses.

The Department of Ayurveda will work with the Tourist Board to develop the criteria, given the problems that have emerged due to the lack of proper standards and non-conformity to the actual traditional Ayurvedic practices despite such claims aimed at luring tourists.

"We have received a large number of complaints from individuals as well as tour operators on the poor service offered.

This could seriously undermine efforts to develop the country's Ayurvedic product image," Tourist Board Chairman Paddy Withana told `Daily News yesterday.

According to him, this mandatary conformity will be in accordance to the specific Tourist Services Code of 1984, since Ayurveda is classified as a service.

Withana said that on a directive of Tourism Minister Gamini Lokuge special inspection teams visited a large number of hotels and guest houses offering Ayurvedic services but a considerable percentage was not up to the mark.

Health based tourism accounts for around one percent of the total tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka, with German, Austrian and Swiss tourists heading the list. Surveys have revealed that there are around 43 Ayurvedic units that offer quality services with seven hotels catering exclusively to the Ayurvedic health package tourists. Hotel charges also vary from Rs 2000-12,000 for an Ayurvedic health package. However the Chairman said that "some places are a mere eyewash, misleading unsuspecting tourists."

He warned that this can seriously discredit other Ayurvedic units which offer a quality package.

According to Withana, the Ayurveda concept actually caught on in the late 1980's.

The proprietor of Barberyn Reef Hotel, Beruwela, Sudana Rodrigo was the pioneer in the field.

"He was actually ridiculed by the industry when he came up with this Ayurvedic concept to promote tourism.

However, now it is a much sought after service which could be developed if we have proper standards," the Chairman said.

According to him, this is also a fad in most hotels, although Sri Lanka has its share of hotels that offer a quality package using traditional Ayurveda methods.

"However, There is an urgent need to ensure standards in order to be competitive as well as build up an image as an Ayurveda destination. Kerala, India is the most sought after Ayurveda destination in the world. Sri Lanka with its own base of Ayurveda knowledge which actually precedes the indian counterpart could tap the potential with the right kind of quality," he said.

Jetwing opens health holiday complex

By Shirajiv Sirimane

The Jetwing Ayurveda Pavilion, Sri Lanka's first purpose built health holiday complex on the west coast of Negombo, owned and operated by Jetwing Group of Hotels, will be opened in Negombo this month.

"The company has invested Rs.70 million from funds generated with in the group for this project. Each Villa would cost Rs. 1.5 million. In addition to the 12 Villas a swimming pool, Restaurant and a modern kitchen will be set up within the premises," said Hiran Cooray Managing Director Jetwing Hotels.

"The novelty of this project would be that each Villa would have its own Sauna and medication facilities needed for treatment. In other Hotels one has to go to a common area for treatment. But at the 'Ayurveda Pavilion' the doctor will visit the guest and do the treatment in the Villa itself." he said.

This is a first class health resort with 12 luxury Bungalows to ensure maximum privacy.Each Villa also has ts own garden.

The resort is designed for people seeking in-house Ayurveda Therapy in quiet peaceful surroundings and has been specially designed to be in harmony with the natural environment.

Mr. Cooray said the prime reason behind this project was the demand for herbal and Ayurveda treatment from western clients. He said that these two areas along with Eco tourism would have a great demand in the local tourism sector in the future. "We have already marketed the Villa and sold all the villas for the season."

The group has made a profit of Rs. 21 million despite the overall downturn of arrivals of almost 30 percent last year.

The Jetwing group own and operate 17 hotels which include Blue Water-Wadduwa, Mermaid Hotel & Club-Kalutara, The Villa Riviera-Beruwela Tropical Villas-Beruwela, Saman Villas-Bentota, Lighthouse Hotel-Galle The Tamarind Tree-Katunayake, Royal Oceanic Hotel, Blue Oceanic Beach Hotel, Seashells Hotel, Sea Garden Hotel, Hotel Sunset Beach-Negombo, Hunas Falls Hotel, The Swiss Residence-Kandy, St.Andrew's Hotel-Nuwara Eliya and Yala Safari Game Lodge-Yala

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager