Business Travel

CFHC diverts to tourism promotion

ANJANA SAMARASINGHE

Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation (CFHC) has diversified its business to leisure and entertainment through eco-adventure and expect to introduce whale-watching for both local and foreign tourists in next year.

Chairman of CFHC Asanga Abeyagoonasekera told Daily News Business though Sri Lanka is tourists’ destination country has not tapped the market for water sports and other water-related entertainments.

The country could promote activities such as night fishing, diving, boat rides and dolphin watching. CFCH had recently expanded adventure sectors such as dolphin watching, diving, night fishing and boat rides in their fishery harbours in Panadura, Kirinda, Mirissa and Hikkaduwa.

“There is a good response from both local and foreign tourists for these changes and now we expect to introduce whale-watching programme next year.

Due to the high demand for these leisure activities many hoteliers now had joined with us to provide special packages for their guests,” Abeyagoonasekera said.

“We have already made arrangements in Panadura harbour to provide boat rides, water skiing and tubing for the tourists. Tourists could enjoy night fishing at Hikkaduwa and Panadura harbours,” he said.

Hikkaduwa is a place for underwater delights where there is a marine sanctuary abundant with rare corals and tropical fish. Diving facility is available at the Hikkaduwa harbour where tourists could have underwater photography and experience the true beauty of corals.

Targeting tourists who are fond of animals, CFCH launched dolphin watching in Kirinda and Mirissa harbours.

This would provide tourists to witness the spectacular natural behaviour of dolphins and CFCH have local experts who could guide the tourists throughout their trip to dolphin watching, he said.

CFCH also expects to build marinas in Sri Lanka to attract yachts.

There are large number of pass by Sri Lanka every day and if country could attract these yatches a huge foreign exchange could be earned. “We are seeking an investor for this purpose,” he said.

CFCH is also planning to set up marine museums targeting tourists and a medium term plan to identify excess lands and set up tourists hotels through public and private partnerships.

Chaaya Lagoon receives Primo award

Chaaya Lagoon Hakuraa Huraa, the first John Keells Hotel in the Maldives to be brought under the Chaaya brand in May 2007,

 has received yet another award, this time from Neckermann Reisen Germany, a leading tour operator in Europe.

The Primo Award, which the hotel received, is given annually to each of the tour operator’s Top 100 Best and Most Popular Hotels. Last year the resort won the Thomas Cook Marque of Excellence award and the Virgin Holidays Bronze Award in the category of The Best All Inclusive Resorts in the World.

Located in the Meemu Atoll 148km south of the capital Male, Chaaya Lagoon Hakuraa Huraa consists of 70 uniquely designed over-water bungalows, as well as ten beach bungalows.

Always a popular holiday destination, Chaaya Lagoon has achieved high standards since its launch and continues to maintain them while constantly improving its services, which is made clear by the awards received.

Confifi turnover dips

The turnover of Confifi hotels last year was significantly low mainly on account of the hotel being closed for five months following the tsunami disaster. In the year 2006/07 the hotel achieved a 66% occupancy yielding a turnover of Rs. 163 million as against Rs. 71 million in 2005/06, Chairman M.T.A. Furkhan said.

The higher turnover in the financial year yielded a Nett Profit Before Tax of Rs. 35.35 mn as against a Loss of Rs. 22.5 mn in the previous year. The operating profit attributable to the Hotel operations amounted to Rs. 16.7 mn.

It was further enhanced by finance income and the share of profits from Associates totalling up to Rs. 18.6 mn which enabled the company to record a sizeable profit for the year. Consequently, the earnings per share amounted to Rs. 3.80 and the Nett Assets Value of the shares went up to Rs. 174.00 per share.

The ever increasing international oil prices continue to severely impact the cost of the essential items such as labour, electricity and food that are vital to keep a hotel product in the market.

As a result of the adverse publicity and the Travel Advisories, overseas Tour Operators are hard put to attract the middle and top end of the tourist market clients from the traditional generating markets. The combined negative effect of all this on our hotels is that there is an eternal demand from Tour Operators,’ he said.

In comparison to other South Asian and South East Asian comparable Hotel prices, Sri Lankan Hotel prices are only about one third of the price that we should be able to command in normal times.

Unfortunately as long as the ground situation in the country remains unchanged, the future of our nation will continue to be a saga of a loser in every sense of the word.

In this somewhat bleak situation there is now a silver lining in that a new Minister of Tourism has been appointed. His efforts together with the inputs of the Ministry of Tourism, Chairman and officers of the Tourist Board and the trade should, we hope make some impact on future tourist arrivals.

Oktoberfest at Hilton

The annual transformation of the sports centre car park of the Hilton Colombo into the site of Sri Lanka’s destination food and beverage festival is already under way as the countdown begins for the Oktoberfest. The event will be held from October 26 to November 4.

The Oktoberfest marquee will rise up over the asphalt to recreate a tradition begun nearly two centuries ago in Munich, Germany, to celebrate the zest for life, hearty food and great beer.

For the spirited and fashionable set, the Hilton Colombo Oktoberfest is a rare opportunity to have fun by doing something authentically traditional.

A few suppliers of fine things are coming together once again to provide the Oktoberfest with a fine selection of sausages, meats, bakery items and craft beers. Beer is the lubricant of choice at the Oktoberfest.

Each year, master brewers at Three Coins work for several months to perfect the special brews. This year, special yeast used for the first time in Sri Lanka will be the freshness behind the exclusive custom-brewed offering from the country’s only specialty brewer.

Indonesian Food Festival at Continental

The World Spice Festival is back and Ceylon Continental Hotel Colombo is gearing up to unleash its sizzle and spice once again this year.

Ceylon Continental Hotel Colombo will host “Indonesian Cuisine” at the Coffee Shop - Cafe Emerald from 21st to October 27th.

Executive Chef Gatot Rajasa from Hotel Borobudur Jakarta will be specially flown into spice up the Indonesian cuisine at the Ceylon Continental Hotel Colombo during the festival.

Indonesian food festival will come alive with a sensational array of authentic Indonesian cuisine prepared by Chef Gatot Rajasa on both a fusion of Sri Lankan spices and the signature spices of Indonesia. It will showcase the cuisine and culture of Indonesia in unique setting during the festival.