Inter Islands Tourism Forum confab, exhibition in Colombo

CONFERENCE: The Inter Islands Tourism Forum 11th Annual Conference and Exhibition are scheduled to he held in Sri Lanka December 28, 29, and 30. These dates were fixed at a meeting at the recently concluded Boao Economic Forum for Asia held in Hainan, China where the Governors of Jeju Islands and Hainan Province met with Southern Province Governor Kumari Balasuriya, Advisor to the President Jagath Balasuriya and Kingsley T.

 Wickramaratne.

However at a meeting held a few days ago between Minister of Tourism Milinda Moragoda, the Chairman of the World ITOP Conference Kingsley T. Wickramaratne, and President OTHM UK and Wales Lakhi Liyanage, it was decided to shift the Conference to mid April 2008 after due consultation with the authorities in Hainan and Jeju Islands.

The Bid-Team of 23 member delegates was led by Southern Province Governor in 2006 with Anura Bandaranaike former Minister of Tourism and Shan Wijeyalal de Silva Chief Minister of Southern Province.

Sri Lanka won the bid and the bid campaign was received with great interest by all delegates of member states. The drumbeats of the Kandyan dancers and the music of Kafferinja of the south created a wide impression and won the hearts of the delegates.

It was decided that the Ministry of Tourism be headed by Minister Milinda Moragoda.

The rest of the organizing structure for the conference: Minister of Heritage Anura Bandaranaike, Minister of Cultural Affairs Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Governor Southern Province Kumari Balasuriya, Chief Minister Shan Wijeyalal de Silva, Chairman of the World ITOP Forum Conference & Exhibition Kingsley T. Wickramaratne, Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism, Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama, Protocol Officer Camillus Wijegunewardene, Chairman of the Tourist Board Renton de Alwis, Managing Director of Aman Hotels International Adrian Zekar, Former Chief Secretary of Southern Province and Advisor to Chief Minister Wijerathne, Chief Secretary to Southern Provincial Council A. Samarasinghe, Secretary to the Minister the Governor of the Western Province Wijeyathileke and the Chief Minister of the Western Province.

SLTB proposes new tourism plan

PLAN: With a view to increase the annual growth rate of the tourist industry by 10% the Sri Lanka Tourist Board (SLTB) has proposed a new Tourism Plan targetting 2010.

The plan will encourage all stakeholders of the industry and the people to drive tourism development and its

 returns.

The SLTB's road map has been strengthened by the momentous progress of the tourist arrivals in the last nine months. On average tourist spending has increased from US $ 64 to US $ 70 and the number of tourist arrivals has increased from 338,050 to 375,630 - an increase of 11 % over the comparable period in 2003.

It is expected to surpass the target arrivals of 550,000 by the end of this year and the current room occupation is 74%.

Under the new plan, it is expect 1 million tourist arrivals by 2010 and to raise the average spending in the region to be US $ 155.

Earnings are expected to be around US $ 1,727 million, which will be four times the current level of foreign exchange earned from the industry.

Final days of ASEAN Food Trail delectable cuisines

ANNIVERSARY: Delectable cuisines from all ten ASEAN countries will be showcased at the ASEAN Food Trail at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel in Singapore, as part of the ASEAN 40th anniversary celebrations.

Organised to dovetail with the Singapore Food Festival, the ASEAN Food Trail, which will run till July 22 at Caf, Brio's, features signature dishes originating from all ten ASEAN countries. These specially selected dishes are synonymous with each country's culture, customs and traditions.

The ASEAN Food Trail, an initiative of the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel and jointly supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Singapore Tourism Board, is part of a series of year-long events lined up in celebration of ASEAN's 40th Anniversary.

Singapore will also takeover the chairmanship of ASEAN from the Philippines from August and host the 13th ASEAN Summit in November this year.

As food has always been an integral part of any country's culture, the ASEAN Food Trail showcases the multi-faceted charms of ASEAN countries through an appreciation of their food.

It symbolises ASEAN's vision of achieving unity through diversity, as reflected in the sheer variety of the culinary delights intrinsic to each of the ASEAN member, countries.

STB's Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Lim Neo Chian said, "Singapore is pleased to celebrate ASEAN's 40th anniversary through food which is very close to the hearts and palates of the residents of this food paradise.

Being a multi-cultural city and a melting pot of cultures, we offer visitors tantalising bites of the best of Asia as well as a scrumptious spread of local food, which we actively promote through signature and well-loved annual events such as the Singapore Food Festival.

The ASEAN Food Trail is an excellent opportunity to sample the gastronomical delights of ASEAN countries while fostering stronger inter-cultural understanding."

Other commemorative events that have been organized as part of the year-long ASEAN 40th anniversary celebrations include ASEAN Rocks!, featuring performances by rock bands from ASEAN countries at Hard Rock Caf, Singapore; the Postcards Across ASEAN initiative where schoolchildren in all ASEAN countries share their diverse heritage by designing and sending postcards to each other as well as supporting an ASEAN contingent on Leg 4 of the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race.

Courtesy ASIA Travel Tips .com

Sri Lankan, best Foreign Carrier of the Year S. Asia again

Popular among Malaysian Travellers:

SUCCESS: SriLankan Airlines was named Foreign Carrier of the Year for South Asia for the second successive year at the recent KLIA Awards 2006 in Kuala Lumpur. CEO of SriLankan Peter Hill, said: "We at SriLankan are very pleased to add the KLIA Award to our list of accolades.

It is always an honour to receive recognition as being among the finest in the global air transport industry."

Malaysia Airlines won the title of Carrier of the Year, while other regional awards went to Singapore Airlines (Southeast Asia), Cathay Pacific (Northeast Asia), KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (Europe), and SriLankan's strategic partner Emirates Airline (Middle East).

The KLIA Awards are presented by Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhard, which operates Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), recently named the World's Best Airport in the 15-25 million passengers category.

Awards are presented to passenger airlines, cargo airlines, low cost airlines, food & beverage outlets, and retail outlets which operate in Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Airlines are judged on the number of passengers carried to and from Kuala Lumpur, strong growth, good sales performance, good sales presentation, international recognition, and service performance.

The awards were presented by Malaysia's Minister of Transport, Y.B. Dato' Sri Chan Kong Choy, at a glittering ceremony at the Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur International Airport on 29th June 2007.

SriLankan Airlines' Country Manager for Malaysia Lalith de Silva who received the award on behalf of the airline, said: "We are very proud to received this award once again as it recognises SriLankan as one of the best performing and most preferred airlines operating out of KLIA.

We are very pleased that we have once again caught the attention of Malaysian passengers and will strive to provide even better service this year."

SriLankan now serves 51 destinations in 28 countries, including 12 flights a week between Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Colombo. It provides convenient connections to Kuala Kumpur from Europe, the Middle East, and India where it is the foreign carrier with the most frequencies, operating 95 flights per week to 10 cities.

Peacock Beach offers special packages

OFFER: Peacock Beach Hotel Hambantota, which was completely refurbished and opened recently are now offering special packages for local and expatriates.

These packages provides guests excursions to Yala, Bundala, Uda Walawe and Kataragama said Director, Sales and Operations Dulani Guruge.

The package includes full board accommodation for one night and children under 6 years could accompany parents free.

The three star plus hotel offers 112 well furnished rooms with air-conditioning, bath shower, telephone, radio and balcony with sea view. The only hotel in the country to own a double decker bus specially imported for bird watching purposes offers free bird watching trips.

Sports and leisure activities include swimming in freshwater pool with deck chairs and sun shades, eco culture activities with Bundala Animal and Bird Sanctuary with all kind of animals and 150 species of rare and colourful birds, including immigrant birds from Africa, Europe and India. All these can be reached within 15 minutes' drive from the hotel.

More details could be obtained from their web site www.peacockbeachhotel.com

Hong Kong to celebrate 50 years of tourism

CELEBRATION: For half a century, since the establishment of the former Hong Kong Tourist Association in 1957, various sectors of the Hong Kong community have been working together to promote Hong Kong's tourism industry.

Riding on the 10th adversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, tourism-related industries across the city are jointly organising a program titled "50 Years of Tourism: Creating Milestones Together" to review the tourism industry's past challenge and success.

Comprising roving exhibitions, a dedicated website, a public seminar, and school and photographic competitions, the program is aimed at sharing with the community the tourism industry's achievements and inviting them to join in its future developments.

Chairman of the Organising Committee of the program, James Lu, and Executive Director of the Hong Kong Hotels Association, said, "Thanks to the concerted efforts of the Government and various sectors of the community, our tourism industry has been developing steadily and has overcome many different challenges.

I am delighted that our industry partners are joining hands to organise this program, which not only shares the tourism industry's achievements with the community, but also encourages the general public to play an active role in promoting Hong Kong to our visitors."

The Advisor of the program's Organising Committee, Hon James Tien, and Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), said that tourism was a community business. "The development of our tourism industry over the past 50 years has been remarkable.

Fifty years ago, we welcomed just 50,000 visitors a year, a number we now exceed in a single day. Moreover, both our tourism receipts and our overall service standards have substantially improved.

I hope that the general public becomes fully involved in this programme and, by spreading the news about Hong Kong's remarkable achievements and appeal to friends and relatives overseas, become goodwill ambassadors for our city," he said.

Key activities under the programme will take place from August to December 2007, including roving exhibitions at the Hong Kong Museum of History, major shopping malls and tourist areas. The exhibitions will showcase milestones of Hong Kong's tourism development and the evolution of the top 10 attractions as well as highlighting changes within the industry.

Among the displays will be many unique historic photographs provided by the top 10 attractions, as well as a selection of tourism promotional materials produced by the HKTB over the years. The HKTB has also invited two academics specialising in local tourism history.