Travel

New refurbishment plan for rest houses

In keeping with the Narambamu Sri Lanka project launched by the Ministry of Tourism, in partnership with Sri Lanka Tourism, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has initiated a campaign to refurbish the existing, SLTDA owned rest houses and holiday resorts.

The Narambamu Sri Lanka project aims to spur interest in domestic tourism, and encourage Sri Lankans to travel within our own country, discovering lesser known attractions among the more widely known, and popular sites of historic and cultural interest.

SLTDA owns and manages pilgrim rest houses at Kataragama and Anuradhapura and domestic holiday resorts at Nuwara Eliya and Bandarawela.

During 2007 and 2008, Bandarawela and Nuwara Eliya resorts were fully refurbished and the Kataragama Pilgrim Rest is being refurbished at present as well as other ground improvements being planned for the immediate surroundings. The Anuradhapura Rest House will be refurbished subsequently.

On the instructions of Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda, policy changes in terms of internal operations are also being looked at to create a religiously oriented and family friendly environment, within the respective rest houses and holiday resorts. The Kataragama Rest House is located within the sacred city area and neither liquor, nor fish or meat, are served at the venue. The Anuradhapura Rest House is located close to the Sri Maha Bodhi Tree and while liquor is not being served there, only vegetarian food will be served at this rest house too, in future. It has been decided that liquor will not be served at Nuwara Eliya and Bandarawela Resorts, effective April 14, in a bid to attract families with children.

SLTDA and SLTPB Chairman, Bernard Goonetilleke said, "With the change in concepts, our products will be placed in a unique position, differentiated from other establishments in the region.

Combined with the economical prices, this will offer the average local person, the freedom to travel within our country with ease". The Anuradhapura Rest House will be the only establishment in the area where singularly vegetarian dishes will be served.

This will form a key differentiation in terms of this venue, and its value as a family retreat will be enhanced.

Director Domestic Tourism and Community Relations of SLTDA, P U Rathnayake stated, "We have carried out a training program with the assistance of Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM) and Hotel Taj Samudra to train the chefs in the preparation of vegetarian dishes, in order to ensure the food retains high quality".

New management at Nawalakanda Bungalow

Text and picture by Beverly Jansz

The purpose of travel is to get away from home as far as possible, but Sri Lankans have a curious idea about travelling.

They pack up 'home' and install it wherever they end up. While many still prefer the conventional holiday destinations, for those who want to try something different for a change, should visit the Nawalakanda Holiday Bungalow, built in the centre of a lush tree plantation. Located along the Kurundugaha Hethapma Batapola road, along a typical village gravel road, Nawalakanda Holiday Bungalow is a colonial bungalow, over 100 years old formerly owned by British planter Ted North.

The management of the four-room holiday bungalow has been taken over by hotelier, Sumith Perera, and re-named New Nawalakanda Holiday Bungalow. It has now been fully refurbished and transformed into a modest holiday home at a cost of over Rs. one million, retaining the old world charm.The property is owned by Wasantha Atukorale.

Dream Holidays shifts office

Dream Holidays the leisure arm of Worldlink Travels relocated its offices to Colombo 6 recently.

The new office is at a convenient location, a few yards from Galle Road on Dharmarama Road the road opposite the Savoy.

"We have been at the Galadari Hotel for over 18 years but with the dawn of peace in Sri Lanka, a whole new world will open up for Sri Lankans and the travel market will grow.

Hence we want to be geared to offer our customers a state-of-the-art travel facility.

"The new office is in an excellent location with easy access to our clients," Chairman and Managing Director of Dream Holidays Ahintha Amerasinghe said.

Dream Holidays holds the unique record of handling the entire travel arrangements including the conference of the largest group to ever depart from Sri Lanka as one group. "This was a group of 470 from Eagle Insurance who went to Malaysia for a tree-day program in 2007, infact the second and the third largest groups have also been handled by Dream Holidays as well", Director Operations of the Worldlink Travel Group Gerard Amerasinghe said.