Business Travel

Male Adaaran offers special holiday packages for Lankans

Saliya Rupasinghe

Maldives: Adaaran Hudhuran Fushi a property owned and managed by Aitken Spence, in the Maldives offers special packages for Sri Lankans holiday makers.

General Manager Marketing, M.U. Lantra of Adaaran “Prestige” brand owning eight properties said the hotel is situated close to Male’ International Airport and they are arranging speedboat transfers.

“Adaaran Hudhuran Fushi is one of the largest islands in the Maldives and offer special weekly entertainment,” he said.

“Hudhuran Fushi is the perfect getaway destination for young and old, whether it’s for fun, tranquility or even romance. It truly resembles an oasis of white sand and lush green landscape,” he added.

The 83 acre property with 137 rooms is also a very good house reef for snorkeling and the beach Villas of Hudhuran Fushi depicts a modern contemporary design featuring all the modern day amenities.

Adaaran Select meaning Island of white Gold in local Maldivian Language depicts the ambience of this Island Resort, situated in North Male Atoll, a natural lush green palm groves island blended with a variety of tropical fauna and flora.

Hudhuran Fushi is renowned for its popularity among surfers. Easy accessibility to famous surfing breaks in the Maldives such as Ninja, Pasta, Sultan, Cokes Honkies, Chickens, Himmafushi and Lohis are situated within the hotel. Surfing season commences from May to beginning of October.”

Lantra said their main markets are from Italy, UK, Germany, France, Japan, China, Switzerland, Russia, Korea and Austria. Sports facilities offered at the beach is another major attraction for the hotel.

The other properties operated by Aitken Spence include three up market five star Boutique Resorts Adaaran “Prestige” Water Villas, Meedhupparu, Adaaran “Prestige” VADOO, Adaaran “Ayurveda Village” Meedhupparu, Adaaran “Select” Meedhupparu, Adaaran “Club” Rannalhi and Adaaran “Club” Bathala.

More details on their properties could be obtained from www.adaaran.com

Tourism should take a lead role for peace -Srilal

Tourism is a peace industry and therefore, it is important that it takes a lead role in pushing forward a workable solution to the current conflict, said President Elect of the Tourist Hotels Association, (THASL) Srilal Miththapala.

Speaking after his election succeeding Hiran Cooray he said that tourism industry is proud to be one of the few industries in Sri Lanka, which has gone through reforms and now have four independent entities to manage the affairs in a public private sector partnership.

“We in the tourism industry have been living in a hope for a long time. We need to be heard and recognised as an important player in the economy of Sri Lanka. Therefore, one of the priorities that I would be focusing on is to try and professionalise the THASL and reposition its stand in the business community.”

Speaking further he said that he is taking over at a time when the industry is facing possibly its worst crisis and therefore, there is certain apprehension.

However, on the other hand, that he is also confident of taking the challenge and highlighted the unity of the members that have kept THASL so strong and resilient over the years and the support of the larger team of Sri Lanka Tourism and the Tourism Ministry.

Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Palitha Kohona, said that although our hotels and the industry as a whole can rank among the best in the world, their full potential in terms of generating higher arrivals has not materialised.

“Frequent adverse travel advisories are a problem. The challenge for all of us is to take pre-emptive action to prevail upon these countries to desist from issuing these travel warnings.

To make the travel trade of the realities, and correct the misconceptions, the Foreign Ministry and the Sri Lankan diplomatic missions locally and abroad play a pivotal role in this endeavor, by providing reliable and up-to-date information on the ground situation to our interlocutors.

Cinnamon Grand walks for Cancer

Going beyond the theme of ‘indulgence’, Cinnamon Grand’s charity initiative, ‘Spread a Little Sunshine’, their most ambitious project to date, and a 16 kilometer walk to the Maharagama Cancer Hospital from the hotel premises was held yesterday.

The aim of the walk was to raise funds for a much needed theatre lamp for the hospital’s new operating theatre and to create awareness of this debilitating disease.

Over 400 Associates of Team Cinnamon Grand led by General Manager Rohan Karr and the management walked to raise the required Rs 1.8 million for the theatre lamp, while distributing educational material on the detection, treatment and prevention of cancer.

“Our aim, through this walk is to reach out to the public. The theatre lamp will undoubtedly help the cancer-afflicted community and will aid in taking up more cases for surgery. This is another way for us to show our community that we care,” says Karr.

The ‘Spread a Little Sunshine’ initiative has the wholehearted support of all Associates of Cinnamon Grand and has seen numerous projects since its launch. This is also not the first time that the hotel has been associated with the Cancer Hospital,” explains Karr.

For the walk, funds were collected on a privately circulated card system among the Associates, who requested donations from family and friends. Each Associate aimed to collect a minimum of Rs 5,000 each.

‘Spread a Little Sunshine’ has aimed to work primarily on the CSR platforms of education, health and environment and has in the past, worked mainly with projects involving health and nutrition.