Indian beauty wins Miss Tourism pageant

Kuala Lumpur, July 25 (PTI), India's Sonal Chauhan has been crowned Miss Tourism 2005 after she beat contestants from 30 other countries in a pageant at Miri in Malaysia's Sarawak state.

Chauhan, who hails from Agra, defeated Miss Russia Natalya Pervova and Miss Lebanon Sandra Raymond El-Sayegh who were first and second runners-up respectively.

"I am ecstatic. What I am feeling now is pure happiness," Chauhan, a 20-year-old second year philosophy student at Delhi University, said after her victory last night.

During the contest, she was asked "if you could change one thing, what would it be and why?" She answered: "I would abolish ignorance. People are not aware of problems facing the world such as corruption, poverty and terrorism. If there was awareness, half the battle would be won.

" But the answer that clinched victory came when she a judge asked her: "If I came to your country, where would you take me and why?" Chauhan replied: "I would take you to Rishikesh to show there is still a place on earth where you can get peace and mental calm."

PTI

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United Holidays celebrates 10th anniversary

by Irangika Range

United Holidays, one of the leading Independent Destination Management Company in Sri Lanka has won many accolades in the travel and tourism sector for the past 10 years promoting Sri Lanka as a top tourist destination. The company celebrated its 10th anniversary on july 25 by launching new products and services under its new logo focussing to expand its operations in new areas of the travel market.

United Holidays, Chairman and Managing Director, Afghar Mohideen said that the united adventure is a new concept and the company has ventured recently into the very specialised arena of Eco Tourism in association with its partner Eco Team.

"We are now in a position to handle virtually every aspect of this exciting area such as nature-based tours, ornithological, agricultural, community living, walking, cycling, trekking, camping and wildlife," Mohideen said. We represent STA travel, largest travel company in the world for students and International Student Identity Card (ISIC) , the only accredited global student identity card in Sri Lanka," United Holidays, Director, Parveen Dassenaike said.

She said that the STA has created its products and service specially for the youth market and it will increase growth in the student and youth travel market focusing major areas including products, customers, extending geographical reach. ISIC provides international student identity cards, which gives an international awareness and discovery, adventure and learning.

Established in 1995, United Holidays is equipped to handle both inbound and outbound tourism and it represents a range of leading tour operators from generating global markets such as the UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, India, Japan and China.

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Facelift for Priyankara Hotel Tissa

Priyankara Hotel Tissa will be upgraded to a three star hotel next Winter. The General Manager Priyankara Hotel Tissa, Ajith Dahanayake says the hotel already has facilities of a three star catogory with cable television, air conditioned rooms, hot water and a 24 hour room service. "We are hoping to add more facilities and would be constructing an open air restaurant over looking the paddy field," he said.

There is a growing market for our buffets specially among people travelling to Yala and Kataragama. Our hotel is being used as a transit hotel for these destinations and also for day excursions to Bundala, Lunugamwehera, Kirinda, Situlpawwa, and to Arugam Bay.

The management has already purchased land for the expansion programme which is estimated to cost Rs. 30 million. "We are planning to complete these before this winter season," he said.

He said after the tsunami tourism sector has not fully recovered. "This is because no special promotions were made in the areas to attract tourists. Also only a few Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) members and their staff are being stationed in the area," he said. However the hotelliers in the area are optimistic that the situation would improve in the future.

He said that despite the tsunami set back the Tissa Pradeshiya Sabha has increased the taxes by 100 per cent. "This is very unfair at a time like this," he said.

The hotel commenced operations in 1970 with eight rooms by the father of the present Chairman Managing Director, Priyankara Wickramasekera. In 1987 the hotel was converted into a luxury hotel with 24 additional rooms. Since then the hotel has been winning many awards. Wickramasekera has also been winning the Southern Entrepreneur of the year Silver award for five successive years.

SS

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Request to keep Yala National Park open

The Ruhunu Hoteliers Association has written to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources on the closure of Yala National Park during September and October. Following is the text of the letter:

"Hambantota district is famous for round tour clientele with the aim of having world known 'Yala Safari'. We believe the biggest attraction for tourist in the area is Yala National Park.

As you are aware after the tsunami disaster, hotels are struggling to survive and find rather difficult to regain the destroyed image. In the circumstance if the Yala National Park is closed for renovation this year as usual there will be a big drawback again to this industry.

We personally believe to regain the image of the biggest National Park in Sri Lanka it is important to have it open throughout, as the word 'closed down' can create a very negative impression in the minds of tourists. Therefore on behalf of hoteliers of this district we request that the Yala National Park be not closed for renovation this year."