Travel

Grand Hotel wins international Good Food award

Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya, has again won the prestigious Saga Good Food Award for the fourth year in succession.

Saga Holidays, an up-market British tour operator, bases its selection on a year's customer feedback for consistency and standard maintained on quality of food, presentation, variety, hygiene and food temperature. Saga Holidays has been operating to Sri Lanka since 1996 and have grown by expanding their program, promoting Sri Lanka from sun and sand to nature adventure and wild life holidays.

A niche market tour operator, SAGA Holidays specializes in handling senior citizens and has a repeat client base of over 800,000 who travel with them worldwide.

Their Local handling Agent is United Holidays which is headed by veteran Afghar Mohideen.

This award won by Grand Hotel, places the Hotel in the elite Company of Five-Star round Trip Hotels such as Cinnamon Grand, Mahaweli Reach- Kandy, Cinnamon Lodge - Habarana who have also won Saga Good Food Awards.

Nuwara Eliya Grand Hotel since being established in 1891, has come to be regarded as the showpiece of the District, and virtually spoken of as being synonymous with Nuwara Eliya itself.

This Haven in the Hills the "Grand" with its Colonial architecture does assume a measure of majestic splendour, which was originally the private residence of the British Governor Sir Edward Barnes. Widely acknowledged for its old world charm and present day exquisite elegance, indeed a fine blend of the old and new, the Grand Hotel has won quite a few prizes and accolades on many an occasion for its well landscaped and best maintained gardens with its splendid foliage and attractive flowers.

The Managing Director of the Grand Hotel Gerard Ondaatjie said at the Saga Good Food Presentation Ceremony organised for the staff of the Grand Hotel on April 28, "it was a rewarding experience to win an award of this nature for food" and said "that in keeping with the organisational policy, the Hotel's team of Chefs are being relatively upgraded to meet the demanding trends, even at times when tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka are very low".

He thanked the Management and Staff for this great achievement to win this Prestigious Award for the 4th year and at a ceremony arranged at the Grand Hotel, Ondaatjie presents medals and certificates to all staff.

He also made cash awards to the garden staff for sweeping the awards in the Commercial Large Category of the April Blooms 2009 Flower and Garden competition.

Nimal de Silva, an Employee of Grand Hotel also won an award for winning the Deshabandu George Ondaatjie Inaugural Snooker Tournament -2009 conducted during the April Season.

The SAGA Food award and the garden awards - whilst giving Grand Hotel the added impetus and drive, will also serve as a boost for the tourist industry in Sri Lanka.

Serendib CEO Srilal to retire

Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Serendib Leisure Management Ltd, Srilal Miththapala and a senior personality in the Sri Lanka tourism industry, will soon be retiring from Serendib Leisure Management Ltd after 10 years at the helm.

Srilal joined Serendib Leisure Management Ltd in 1999 as the Chief Executive Officer, and spearheaded the re-positioning and re-development of the three Serendib Hotel properties, Serendib Hotel-Bentota, Club Hotel Dolphin - Waikkal and Hotel Sigiriya - Sigiriya.

Today, the three properties hold their own respective market segments as popular, well sort out, value for money products. The positioning of Club Hotel Dolphin, as a fun and all inclusive beach resort, Hotel Serendib as the elegant Bawa masterpiece by the sea, and Hotel Sigiriya as nature and culture friendly hotel was developed under his leadership during his tenure. His personal interest in wildlife and nature pushed him to make Hotel Sigiriya one of the well accepted benchmarked eco friendly hotels in Sri Lanka, winning several international and local awards for its pioneering work in energy and environment conservation. Club Hotel Dolphin is possibly one of Sri Lanka's most successful resort hotels, returning good profitability even during the downturn.

"It was very difficult period for me, as I did not know any form of hoteliering, but I worked hard and learnt the ropes" Srilal said.

"I actually took on the job as a three year contract, as I was not sure whether I would like my new career away from Engineering. This 3 year trial with the tourism industry became a 23 year association".

He rapidly moved up in the Confifi hierarchy to taking over the post of Director Operations and then overlooking the diversification of the group in the new role of Director - Business Development.

In 1999, he joined Serendib Leisure Management Ltd as its Chief Executive Officer. He is currently the President of Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) and also a Board Member of Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM).

Abacus comes to the fore in a challenging market

Abacus eServices, Asia's only GDS' online customer service self-help portal has received growing interest from travel agencies across Asia Pacific over the past one year and even more so in the current tight economic environment.

Abacus eServices provides agencies 24/7 access to the GDS' full range of business services and market information.

"The prevailing tight market conditions mean that agencies need to choose and use selective channels that provide the greatest value to their business. The Abacus eServices self-help portal serves that purpose fully as it allows our travel agencies remote access to the tools, solutions and information to help them sharpen their marketing and operations edge", Vice President, Marketing, Abacus International Pvt Ltd Brett Henry said.

Whether it's getting hold of productivity reports, upgrading travel agents with over 65 elearning courses or being among the first to know of the latest in-market promotions from airlines and other travel suppliers - these are all very essential aspects of the agency business where Abacus eServices can offer our agencies an overriding edge amid the current hyper intense competition.

Abacus' suite of eLearning courses offers travel consultants the flexibility of taking short 15-30 minute courses instead of attending full day classes that take away productive time from their agency.

Abacus eServices saves time and costs for travel agents as useful features like Format Finder help agents learn formats and industry procedures quickly. With no start up costs or registration required, Abacus eServices will be accessible using single sign-on technology; in this case using the travel consultants host reservation credentials. "Since it was introduced to Delair Travels (Pvt) Limited, we have relied on the Abacus eServices for so many of our agency's operation and service needs.

It has given us access to so much vital information about the industry and there are plenty of user guides, tips and e-Courses at our fingertips 24/7 with eServices to boost our productivity and efficiency," Director, Delair Travels (Pvt) Limited Dino De Fonseka said.

Taj Airport Garden welcomes new chef

Chef Sanjay Kashlay has been posted to Taj Airport Garden in Sri Lanka to add further flavours to the country's Indian menu with his overall expertise in handling the various aspects of Indian cuisine.

To put on display this amazing talent, Taj Airport Garden Hotel introduces a Weekend Mumbai Bazaar at Society and lawns on Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting from today 15.

Having completed his college, Sanjay turned to his natural calling when he joined as a trainee with the Jaypee group, a five star chain of hotels in India.

From there he moved from position to position and hotel to hotel, rising to the level of independently handling the Indian kitchen of some of the best hotels in India.

His experience and expertise moved him through various high profile five Star deluxe hotels across North India, the highlight of which was his stint with the Kebab Factory of Radisson group, where he dug deep into the intricacies of Indian cuisine and perfecting the art of making juicy kebabs.

He came into the Taj group when he joined the Taj Air Sats which caters to various international flights out of Delhi.

It was here that he gained his expertise in South Indian cuisine, especially since he was regularly in charge of catering to A.P. J. Abdul Kalam, the earlier President Of India and many more such V.I.Ps.