LEISURE

SriLankan joins oneworld alliance

Sanjeevi JAYASURIYA

SriLankan Airlines, one of the Asia’s fastest growing airlines will join oneworld alliance, adding to the world’s leading quality airline alliance.

“For any airline, joining an alliance is one of the biggest projects they will ever undertake, impacting virtually every area of their business and supported by one of the most extensive communications programs. Our visit to Sri Lanka aimed at extending help to give SriLankan the very best start across all these activities, besides extending to the airline, its workforce, their customers and other key stakeholders the warmest of welcomes to oneworld,” said oneworld CEO Bruce Ashby.

“oneworld’s aim is to be the first choice airline for the world’s frequent international travelers. In SriLankan Airlines oneworld is pleased to welcome a high quality airline that will enhance oneworld’s network and product offering in one of the world’s fastest growing regions for air travel demand”, he said.

SriLankan is expected to be implemented in to oneworld late next year, flying alongside some of the biggest and best brands in the airline business.

“The world airline industry is increasingly focused on alliances with almost 75 percent of full service, scheduled airline capacity now allied to the global airline groups. "SriLankan has carried out in-dept analysis of the possibilities open to us against this background, supported by leading independent experts and oneworld is very clearly the best option for us,” SriLankan Airlines Chairman Nishantha Wickremasinghe said.

“Joining the alliance will enable SriLankan to offer significantly more value and benefits to our customers than we can on our own, making us more competitive, helping strengthen our financial position and position our airline more firmly on the global aviation map,” he said.

“It will also vastly improve our country’s connections with the rest of the world, with all that means for our country’s vital tourism, manufacturing and other industries. As an airline highly focused on quality service, we are extremely proud to have been invited to join the highest quality alliance with the best airline partners offering a global network that best complement our own,” Wickramasinghe said. When SriLankan joins oneworld then it will become part of an alliance of 13 airlines serving between them more than 860 destinations in 150 countries, operating a combined fleet of almost 2,500 aircraft making around 9,000 flights and carrying almost million passengers every day, generating annual revenues of more than US $ 100 billion.

This will make it easier and smoother for SriLankan’s customers to fly all over the globe and for business people and tourists from every continent to reach Sri Lanka.

The 200,000 members of SriLankan’s FlySmiLes frequent flyer program will be able to earn and redeem rewards on any of oneworld’s other carries, with top tier members are able to use any of the group’s 550 plus award winning airport lounges and its network will be covered by oneworld’s market leading range of alliance fares.

Amagi Lagoon Resort and Spa opens in Negombo

Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Economic Development opened the newly built Amagi Lagoon Resort and spa in Negombo on resort.

The Amagi Lagoon Resort and spa is located in Negombo, just five minutes away from the Katunayaka International Airport. Total investment for Amagi Lagoon Resort and spa is Rs. 500 million.

This three star luxury hotel have 22 luxury rooms including three water bungalows, two high restaurants, swimming pool, banquet facilities, state of the gymnasium and a modern full fledged spa.

Amagi Lagoon Resort and spa is located on a two acre land which borders the Negombo lagoon.

It was built with the intention of providing an opportunity for guests to move into the lagoon and to experience new styles of recreation.

Amagi Lagoon Resort and spa accommodate local holiday makers well as international travelers. This hotel will create employment for youth in the area in addition to boosting income and business opportunities to the self-employed, micro enterprises.

Private sector towards a greener economy

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

The private sector has a lot of potential in greening their businesses both by investing in green enterprises as well as greening their day to day activities.

Institute of Environment Professionals Association Sri Lanka (IEPSL) Chairperson Prof Hemanthi Ranasinghe said delivering a speech at the Symposium titled “Towards a Green Economy” organized by the IEPSL and Chamber of Commerce at the CCC Auditorium last week to mark the World Environmental Day 2012. She said the green economy quests to promote economic development through reducing carbon emissions and pollution, enhancing energy and resource efficiency and prevention of the loss of bio diversity and eco system services.

For this a lot of re-thinking on conventional approaches are required to development and recognize the importance of the natural environment as a source of growth, prosperity and well-being.

Professor Ranasinghe said therefore main thrust areas of the IEPSL are environmental advocacy, promote environmental professionalism and empowerment through training.

In that context the institute joined hands with the umbrella organization of industrialists in the country which is the Chamber of Commerce to organize this seminar.

The presentations included very important topics such as sustainable energy for a green economy by Director General ,Sustainable Energy Authority, Dr T.Sugathapala, Green Buildings for a Green Economy by Senior Prof Moratuwa University Prof T Jayasinghe, Environmental Pollution Control towards Green Economy by Deputy Director General, Pollution Control S Muthukudaarachchi, and Green Consumerism for a Green Economy by Consultant Engineer Aitken Spence Group Ravi De Silva and Life Cycle assessment by Holcim Lanka Environment Manager Chalak Fernando.