Travel

White Haven Hotel invests Rs. 28 m

The White Haven Hotel, Thalpitiya North, Panadura has been refurbished at a cost of over Rs. 28 m, its Managing Director, Sunil de Silva said.

The hotel now stands as a star class property offering 5-star facilities, with two large banquet halls which could cater to over 500 guests.

Since its new look, the White Haven Hotel is popular for scale weddings, company picnics and family outings.

A unique feature of the hotel is that its present Managing Director de Silva began his hotel career as a humble kitchen helper cum chef.

De Silva has worked in Germany, London, Middle East and travelled around the world to build his dream hotel The White Haven. The hotel offers 32 luxury rooms.

The new General Manager of the hotel is Zaki Amath, who has over 22 years experience in the hotel industry.

The Hut re-awakens for Halloween,

Halloween nite would be re created on October 31, 9 pm onwards at the re-awakened, relentlessly haunted, Hut, Mount Lavinia Hotel. (haunted since 1957).

Guests are invited to make a haunting date with eternal friends on Partake of a spooky menu, cackle with eerie laughter and dance to the blood curdling melodies spun by DJ Shiran. Entrance free to the feminine gender.

Trans Asia hotel celebrates Halloween

Trans Asia hotel would be celebrating Halloween at the Lounge and Night Club, from October 31 at 9.00 pm onwards.

The Library Crew promises plenty of frightful fun, screeches and screams during this night at Trans Asia.

Some fun and exciting activities are on the cards like, "Pin the nose on the pumpkin", "Bobbing for Apples" and "Make a Mummy", where the first team to wrap their mummy wins. the best Halloween costume awaits a great prize.

A Cocktail - "Devil's Brew" scary but true, will be served complimentary to every guest at the entrance? Why not find out who she is? Are you amazed? Just make a note and be there or be squared;

UN tourism agency to set up 'Resilience Committee'

With the travel industry under stress, the United Nation's tourism organisation has decided to create a 'Resilience Committee' to support its members by providing accurate economic analysis and response mechanisms.

The decision to form the Committee came as the tourism sector was feeling the pinch of reduced consumer demand both business and leisure as also credit crunch. International tourism had registered solid growth at around 5 per cent between January and April, compared to the same period of 2007. The slowdown began with the summer holidays in the northern hemisphere.

The panel of experts of the UN agency's World Tourism Barometer, which until then maintained favourable views of the sector's situation, now shows a perceptible loss of confidence regarding the short-term outlook. (PTI)

Rock @ Continental

Experience the musical extravaganza at the end of the Heist of the "Ceylon Continental Hotel Colombo - The Warmest Heart in Sri Lanka". You could chill out after a hard days work and sip your favorite cocktail with relaxing music of your choice.

Seven Top bands come alive on seven days with Sam the Man performing every Monday at the Lobby, while "Fame" will be performing every Tuesday. Heady Jazz by The Dizzy Heights Trio will perform on Wednesdays from 7 pm to 11 pm in the Lobby. Sohan and the X - periments need no introduction, and they will carry out their performance on Thursday nights at the Heist.

Fashion Show by Yamuna Perera will be held on Friday from 9:00 pm to 9:30 pm with leading models in Colombo and the glimpse of the band on Saturday nights the band "Kismet" live entertainment at the Heist. "Warren & Rozette" will perform every Sunday.

British High Commissioner visits Hotel Dolphin

During his visit to the North of Colombo, the British High Commissioner, Dr. Peter Hayes and Kirsty Hayes was hosted for lunch at Club Hotel Dolphin by Chairman Serendib Leisure Hotels Abbas Esufally and Director/Chief Executive Officer Srilal Miththapala. Dr. Peter Hayes and Mrs. Hayes with Abbas Esufally at Club Hotel Dolphin.

Kosgoda beach to be luxury boutique

Shirajiv SIRIMANE

Kosgoda Beach Resort is to be re positioned as a luxury boutique hotel with value additions next year. The management hopes to re invest a further Rs. 5 million for this.

The hotel built in 1984 with 54 rooms was re built again recently with Rs. 84 million.

The consultant of the hotel, veteran hotelier, Lalin De Mel said Kosgoda Beach Resort could be easily re posited as a luxury boutique hotel with a few changes and a new mindset since the hotel has the infrastructure.

He said they will introduce a room and a pool butler service and have more luxury amenities added to the rooms.

"The hotel can be put down as the first boutique type hotel in the country.

Unfortunately it was never positioned that way," he said.

With the repositioning the hotel management would increase their rates to match the additional facilities and are expecting around 25 per cent additional revenue.

Sri Lankan situation too is ideal to attract the top end since they are intellectuals and knows Sri Lanka more than the free individual travelers.

"We are targeting the CEO, Directors and top foreign corporate, top end Indian and gulf travelers who are in touch with the world and know that Sri Lankan situation.

They know that violence is only confined to some areas in the North and it won't affect them," he said.

De Mel said that they would also introduce a water sports centre to the venue as the lagoon and the sea surround the property. "We hope to hire an international company for this," he said.

General Manager, Gemunu Karunaratne said the hotel is now maintaining a high occupancy and this is due to this high standard that have been maintained.

"We are also having a relationship with the community as we use their vehicles, employ staff in the area and buy most of the provisions direct from them," he said.

Today the hotel offers 42 standard rooms with air-conditioning, Open air Bathroom, jaccuzi and plunge Pool, Cable Television, Mini Bar, Telephone with IDD facility, Hair Dryer in every room.

Other attractions of the hotel include a sauna, jacuzzi, fitness center and an ayurvedic center. The hotel also offers three restaurants and an upper conference facility to host mini conferences.

"The venue is also popular as a honeymoon destination among local and foreigners," he said.

ITB Asia begins

The much anticipated inaugural ITB Asia travel trade show opened in Singapore. The three-day B2B event for the Asian travel market has attracted 651 exhibiting companies from 58 countries and territories. Exhibitors, including small and medium-sized enterprises, will meet with 812 high purchasing power travel buyers, 56 per cent of them from Asia.

Up to 5,000 travel representatives including about 1,000 trade visitors and over 200 journalists will convene for three days of negotiations. Their deliberations will help drive the future of the leisure, meetings and corporate travel sectors in Asia. The allocated 10,600 square metres of exhibition space in the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre sold out three months ago.

ITB Asia is the Asian sister show of annual ITB Berlin, the world's leading travel trade show. "ITB Asia is our first brand extension of ITB Berlin," said CEO of Messe Berlin, Raimund Hosch, the event organiser. "ITB Asia is a very robust new travel trade show and it has come at the right time," he said.

"The current global economic crisis may have added impetus and importance to the event. "The world's travel professionals have turned out in force, despite, or even because of, economic uncertainties. Indeed, ITB Asia has turned into the perfect platform to discuss future paths, policies and plans and prepare for the recovery to come," he said.

The inaugural event has attracted 280 accommodation entities (43 per cent of all exhibitors), 178 tour operator/travel agencies (27 per cent), 81 government tourism organisations or associations (12 per cent), 29 travel technology companies (4 per cent), 26 transport/carrier companies (4 per cent), 22 business travel/MICE service suppliers (3 per cent), 12 consultancies (2 per cent), 10 media exhibitors (2 per cent), and 13 others (2 per cent).

Hilton brings back its Kottu

Following the massive success of their '2100Kg of Kottu' fiesta, the Hilton Colombo would treat its guests once again to a evening to enjoy what is arguably some of the best Kottu in Colombo, on November 9 at the Hilton Colombo's Sports Centre Car Park.

Over 100 chefs have been assigned to undertake this spectacular fiesta.

Entertainment for the Kottu Fest will be provided by Daddy, Channa's dance troupe, Iraj and the Elephant Foot Drummers from Hikkaduwa.

Apart from Chicken and Vegetable Kottu, the Fest will also have a number of beverage, dessert and snack stalls.

The Kottu Fest in partnership with Mobitel and Maxies, while the event is supported by Sri Lanka Tourism in a bid to promote authentic experiences in Sri Lanka.