Travel

Lanka seeks India's expertise to strengthen tourism

Sri Lankan Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda today urged Minister of Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni to provide expert help to Sri Lanka in strengthening the tourism sector.

Moragoda, who called on Soni here today, said: "Sri Lanka wants to learn from India how tourism related issues are dealt at the State and community level. Sri Lanka is involving private sector in tourism related activities and wants to develop new tourism related products to attract more tourists." Soni said tourism is an economic driver in India from which the Centre as well as the State Governments is benefiting. She said India is developing 22 mega destinations to provide complete experience for tourists.

During their 40-minute meeting, both the leaders discussed matters of cooperation in tourism sector between the two countries.

Moragoda said India is a magnet and has established a benchmark in promotion of tourism sector in the world with its Incredible India campaign and any effort to take the lead in promoting tourism related cooperation by it would be supported by Sri Lanka.

"Sri Lanka was keen to participate in travel marts in India such as the forthcoming Great Indian Travel Bazar in Jaipur in April this year as it has a pan-Asian dimension," Moragoda added. The visiting dignitary praised India's efforts against terrorism in the wake of Mumbai terror attacks and said his country would like to exchange ideas with India on security scenario in tourism sector.

Soni conveyed to her Sri Lankan counterpart that several steps are being taken by the Government of India and the Ministry of Tourism to meet the challenges posed by global meltdown and Mumbai terror attacks.

She said hotel associations have come out with their own security guidelines in India after the Mumbai terror attack and the Government is providing them whatever assistance is necessary.

ANI

Kerala cuisine at Airport Garden

The Airport Garden Hotel will host the Delights of Kerala and Dum Biriyani Food Fest which features Chef Damu who would be specially flown in from the Taj Hotel in Cochin, while one can savour authentic Biriyanis prepared by Chef Puran from Lucknow.

Dum Biryani Food Fest - 12th to 18th January 2009 and Delights of Kerala from 21st January to 1st February 2009 - Society Coffee Shop, Taj Airport Garden from 7.00 p.m. to 10.30 p.m.

Kerala cuisine is a delightful mixture of both vegetarian and non - vegetarian which include fish based delicacies and an array of non - vegetarian dishes. the Kerala Food Fest also includes the Kerala variant of the popular Biriyani.

For non-vegetarians there is a delightful choice from Stews of Chicken, Beef, Lamb or Fish, and the traditional naadan style of Chicken curry, Fish Moli, Fried Fish and more.

Cathay Pacific agents paint the town red

Cathay Pacific Sri Lanka invited their top rung agents to "Paint the Town Red" this week, launching an exciting competition to promote their festive packages timed for the Chinese New Year.

Agents are encouraged to become creative and decorate their offices in festive red with d‚cor that accentuates the Chinese New Year celebrations. Cathay distributed a variety of festive d‚cor including red Chinese lanterns amongst the Airline's key agents and the response has been excellent with many of them doing their own d‚cor to create the Chinese New Year ambience on a lavish scale.

On January 26, the panel of judges from Cathay Pacific is scheduled to visit the offices of the participating agents to evaluate and select the winners. The winning agency will receive five free air-tickets to Singapore or Bangkok to see for themselves how the Chinese New Year is celebrated at these destinations.

Sales and Marketing Manager for Cathay Pacific Airways Colombo Ruhan Abbas, said, "the display that goes hand in hand with China's cultural heritage is appropriate for us to help motivate our key agents to participate and promote passengers to fly off to any of the destinations where the Chinese New Year is celebrated.

This competition helps create the hype and excitement that our special package for the season deserves, so that families can enjoy the pageantry of the festivities."

Marcel to convince readers in Europe

Having taken a full round tour and an additional week in an Ayurvedic hotel Marcel Vissers, chief editor of Meetings Industry Magazine (MIM) and Head Quarters Magazine (HQ), assured his two hosts Sri Lanka Convention Bureau and SriLankan Airlines that he will share his experience with his readers through several features in his two magazines.

The award winning publishser visited Sri Lanka for the first time with his photographer Ronald Van Der Hilst, and stayed from December 29th to January 16th. The Bureau was very keen to have this visit realised with Vissiers reputation globally as a leading Personality in the Meetings Industry.

Bureau’s GM Vipula Wanigasekera, while thanking Sri Lankan Airlines for supporting this visit, says that his visit will give a boost to Incentive travel from Europe as such personality endorsements on destinations and venues go a long way in changing perceptions.