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by Richard Dwight

The three-fold cord of SriLankan Airlines, tourism and golf, rather than being quickly broken, is on the contrary growing from strength to strength, complementing each other in the greater cause and common good of the country which is mainly due to the concord and amity that prevails within an environment that is becoming increasingly peaceful.

This was the essence and thinking observed from the CEO of SLA, Peter Hill, when he addressed the media and, a wide spectrum of others, at a briefing held last Tuesday at the Ceylon Continental Hotel concerning the forthcoming 8th Annual SriLankan Airlines Golf Classic, which tees off from October 29th to November 1st 2003 at the Salubrious Victoria Golf Course in Kandy.

According to Peter Hill, it was gathered that this biggest international amateur golfing event in Sri Lanka, assumes even greater proportions than the previous year, in that there is a significant increase in the number of foreign participants, 131 to be precise from 14 countries across the SriLankan Airlines route and as well, a battery of 25 journalists from golf and travel magazines.

Which Hill felt was a tribute to the enterprising ingenuity of the organisers and, a reflection of the general boom in tourism, that has given rise to the increase in tourist traffic to the country. He surmised that the time was opportune to attract visitors from overseas through the medium of sports, such as cricket, horse racing, water sports and in the active promotion of golfing holidays so as to lure the businessmen and executives.

Hill, in keeping with modern trends was ambitious enough to say that the time spent on travelling from the airport to the picturesque Victoria golf course or the Nuwara Eliya course, could be reduced considerably by the renting of caravans, fast moving taxis or sea planes.

Head of Commercial, SriLankan Airlines and promotion of Travel & Sports Tourism G. T. Jayaseelan said that things are certainly looking up, and indeed becoming brighter for Sri Lanka - which has spurred them to purchase two more carriers, which with time would make it daily frequency to UK and by the year 2007 progress to double daily frequency.

Jayaseelan stressed that SriLankan Airlines played a vital role in promoting six-a-side cricket tournaments, golf, wind surfing and horse racing. Jayaseelan concluded by saying that with the float planes obtained Sri Lanka could become the gateway to South Asia.

The General Manger, Victoria Golf Club, Tony Witham, was a fine sportsman in his day, excelling in cricket and rugger for S. Thomas' and for the planting sector, with golf as well. Witham was painstakingly, directly involved in fondly nurturing the greens, tees and fairways of the 6945 yard, par 73 course planted with imported Bermuda grass that came for much praise from cricketers and VIPs from aborad who referred to it as wonderful.

Witham, dwelling on the tournament said that it has progressed from a two day competition to a four day competition, for both ladies and gents, with 51 local golfers and 131 foreign participants from UK, Oman, Switzerland, Qatar, Japan, Singapore, Kuwait, Bahrain, Australia, Dubai, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Matches commence on October 29th and goes on to 1st of November with play commencing each day at 7.30 a.m. and ending at 6.30 p.m.

International golfers are in for attractive packages, which include hotel accommodation with bed and breakfast, transportation to and from the hotel to the Victoria Golf Club, cocktails and dinner together with attractive trophies and prizes that include business and economy class return air tickets to several of the airlines online destinations.

SriLankan Airlines lived up to their reputation of being the lavish host be it in the air or on land by making the briefing at the Ceylon Continental Hotel on Tuesday an enjoyable occasion for all those present. If it was their intention to make the right kind of impression, then they did indeed succeed in a splendid manner, with many looking forward to the SriLankan Airlines Golf Classic - 2003.

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