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| Friday, 11 July 2003 |
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Travel Hotel school strives for hospitality excellence by Shirajiv Sirimane For the first time the Hotel School will conduct the John White International Course for Sri Lankans who are involved in the hospitality industry. According to Principal of Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management, (SLITHM) K. Thambaiyah, the school has already got the green light from the International Bartenders Association of Italy to conduct this course in Sri Lanka. He said that Sri Lankans now need not go to Singapore to follow this course spending nearly Rs. one hundred thousand. Thambaiyah said, that the SLITHM is planning to conduct this course in association with Free Lanka Trading Co. Ltd. "But the certificate which we will issue will have the same international identity. We hope to start at the end of this year," he said. He said that the demand for the skilled bartenders is growing and Free Lanka Trading Co. Ltd, is also conducting a Marie Brizard Bartenders seminar and competition for young Bartenders in the hospitality industry to achieve their goals. Executive Director Free Lanka Trading, Joseph Kenny said that they have been conducting this event for the past 12 years. "Our business is in high spirits and in order to show our gratitude to the industry we are sponsoring this event in association with Ceylon Hotel School Graduate Association, Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management and Sri Lanka Tourism Hotels Association. This programme is internationally sponsored by "Marie Brizard Liqueurs of France" he said. Ceylon Hotel School Graduate Association (SHSGA) President Adrian Kulatunge said that in the past eleven years they conducted regional competitions and trained over 3,000 people. "There will be six regions, Colombo, Negombo, South, Deep South, Kandy and the Cultural Triangle for the contest and there will be 40 participants selected from each for the final round," he explained. He said that more and more female participants too are entering the competition. The winner of the final gets qualified to participate in the Asia Pacific contest which is annually held in Singapore with the participation of over 15 Asian countries.Vice President SHSGA, Palith Wijemanne said that there are still restrictions from the Excise Ordinance which prevent females serving liquor in hotels. "This Ordinance is over 70 years old and it has to change with times," he said. He also said that Sri Lanka is one of the few non Muslim countries to have such a rule. The first Bartenders Competition was held in '92. The Final Competition is to be held on the July 19, 2003 at the Galadari Hotel. The Cocktail Competition will commence at 1.30 p.m by all participants making one international Cocktail within four minutes. The second part will be for the innovative Cocktail which will be made within five minutes by using locally manufactured foreign liquor. All participants will receive certificates mentioning their participation in the "Finals 2003". The first three winners will receive cash prizes and their respective trophies. ********************** Madu Ganga, Unawatuna beach:Tourist Board launches eco-tourism development drive The Sri Lanka Tourist Board has embarked on a special project to develop the Madu ganga, Unawatuna beach area with a view to develop eco tourism and improve economic avenues of the people in the South. Under the project, 16 islands spread widely in the Madu ganga lagoon will be developed.
These projects, will be implemented with due consideration to environmental concerns and traditional lifestyles in the area, an official of the Tourist Board said. The basic objective of the project, is to improve the social life and the income of the fishing communities, and those involved in the coir industry in the islands, while proving the plank for developing new ways to attract tourists. The area's many cottage industries, also provide the scope for developing a range of tourist tours, the spokesman said. It has been observed that tourists are attracted to the lifestyle in the South and the tranquillity dominating the premises of the Kokduwa Island temple by Madu ganga. Increased tourist inflow, will help raise income of the people as well providing the necessary incentives to develop new visitor interest ventures, he said. The project, will further enhance efforts to conserve the picturesque area, given the emphasis for nature-friendly operational and development activities. This will further help efforts to conserve the picturesque environs of Unawatuna, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, he said. ********************** Travel industry felicitates Nanayakkara By Tharika Goonathilake Eminent travel industry stalwart Udaya Nanayakkara was felicitated by the Sri Lanka Association of inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) and Tourist Hotels Association last week, on his appointment as the President of the Universal Federation of Travel Agents Associations (UFTAA).
Tourism Minister Gamini Lokuge, Ministry Secretary Dr. P Ramanujan and Sri Lanka Tourism Board Chairman Paddy Withana were among the large and distinguished gathering that paid tribute to Nanayakkara, at a special ceremony held at the Ceylon Continental Hotel last week. Minister Lokuge, described Nanayakkara's appointment as a prestigious accolade for Sri Lanka, especially at a time when the industry was gearing up for greater things. He said, Nanayakkara's contribution to the industry, as the former President of the Travel Agents Association in Sri Lanka, and concurrently as a country representative for several other related organisations, was a reflection of his commitment to support the leisure industry. Minister Lokuge said the Government's primary objective was to ensure that the tourism sector gains the recognition it truly deserves and was now synergising with the private sector to promote the destination to its full potential. Implementation of the political will to foster travel and tourism in Sri Lanka, the Minister said, was evident from a number of factors like the new Tourism Development Act, enhanced investor-friendly opportunities, budgetary allocations, loans and other facilities including tax concessions. UFTAA, the apex body representing all travel agents associations in the world, constitute 101 National Associations, with a membership base of over 80,000 travel agents. Nanayakkara, the first Sri Lankan to hold this post and the second South Asian after Vino Ubyacar of India, assured his continuous support to put tourism on the world map "on top where it really should be." He said his appointment comes at a time when vast economic and other international upheavals continue to hinder the travel industry's growth, but endorsed his belief "that greater things can be achieved by the travel trade, if the industry lives up to its true potential". Nanayakkara also called on the travel trade to work together to establish tourism, as the number one foreign exchange earner for the country. Citing the need for the industry to take the initiative "without depending entirely on the Government," he stressed the importance for the industry to re-evaluate its stance, especially as to whether "the industry has lived up to its true potential and delivered the goods". He extended his appreciation to SriLankan Airlines for the crucial role it played during 'the industry's bleak period', and extending its unstinted support, to fly the national flag, when other airlines were avoiding the destination. However, he said that the industry, must have the right to raise concerns when `monopolistic stands or more liberalised rights' come into conflict with the destination's progress. In a lighter vein, Nanayakkara, also said that the industry has an opportunity to `use him' and `not abuse him.' Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, President Kumar Mallimarachchi said, people of the calibre of Nanayakkara are an asset to the country, and that every effort should be made to take advantage of his expertise to promote the country. "There is a great need to move away from petty politics and other differences. Nanayakkara should be a key player, in Sri Lanka's new tourism promotional strategies given his expertise in an illustrious career spanning nearly three decades," he said. Mallimarachchi, also pointed out that Nanayakkara showed great foresight in focusing on the Indian market, going all out to lobby Sri Lanka as an attractive travel destination within the travel agents fraternity in neighbouring India, during his tenure as the president of TAASL. "It is to his credit that we are now reaping the benefits," Mallimarachchi said. Given the influential role Nanayakkara plays at the helm of the world's premier travel association lobby, we have an excellent opportunity to seek his support, he opined. SLAITO President Gehan Perera expressed the industry's appreciation to the Minister for taking the initiative to introduce the new Tourism Act, citing it as "a vital step in the right direction." However, he emphasised the need for "adequate independence to conduct the activities of the marketing Bureau," the main private-sector-backed destination promotional arm- under the Tourism Act, "sans bureaucratic constraints in order to deliver positive results." He said the Associations are committed to working closely to achieve the Government's objective of making tourism a priority industry for the benefit of the people in Sri Lanka. |
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Produced by Lake House |
The project, has been undertaken by the Ministry of Tourism and the Sri
Lanka Tourist Board (SLTB) under the guidance of Tourism Minister Gamini
Lokuge and Chairman of SLTB, Paddy Withana.
