Leisure

Korean Air, direct from March

Shirajiv Sirimane

After a lapse of nearly three decades Korean Airlines would operate direct flights to Sri Lanka from March 9 2013.

Alpha Tours, an Aassociate Company of Finco Group has been appointed as the General Sales agent and its frequency would be three a week with a stop over, in the Maldives.

Chairman Finco Group, S. C. Weerasuriya, General Manager for Korean Air and an official from Korean Air, Priyantha Mendis Picture by Saliya Rupasinghe.

Priyantha Mendis, General Manager for Korean Air said, that they would offer a three class configuration (First, Business and Economy) for their A 330, 200 seater flight and thus hope to maintain a 75% load factor in the first year of operation. "Sri Lanka's economy and tourism is growing and we see a tremendous potential in Sri Lanka. In addition Korean travellers like to visit new destination and we hope to market Sri Lanka to them," he said.

The number of Korean tourists visiting Sri Lanka would improve tremendously as almost 25% of the total Korean population travel overseas for leisure.

"As Korean Air currently operates to 15 cities in Japan, Sri Lanka could receive an increased number of Japanese tourists inbound on Korean Air Services to Colombo."

"In addition, Korean Air operates to 23 cities in China and this would help improve the number of Chinese tourists visiting Sri Lanka as it is just one-and-hour-hours flying time from Northern Chinese cities to Seoul/Incheon International Airport." "Korean Air would also be more convenient for Sri Lankans travelling to the USA and Canada due to the visa exemption they receive in Seoul while in transit."

The air links would also be a huge boost to perishable export from Sri Lanka including tuna fish exports.

"Direct Korean Air services to Colombo will mean that they could export their products within the minimum number of flying hours to Japan and the USA bound flights."

" The Korean Air's new direct service will definitely help the government of Sri Lanka to achieve the anticipated number of 2.5 million tourist arrivals to the country by the year 2016, said Chairman Finco Group, S. C. Weerasuriya.

First tourism coffee table book launched

Declared as the best value tourism destination in 2013 by Lonely Planet Sri Lanka gets its first ever Tourism Coffee table book, "Refreshingly Sri Lanka" authored by Dr.Nalaka Godahewa former Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism. The book was launched at Colombo Hilton on 3rd December in front of a distinguished gathering involving government ministers, key officials and key corporate executives from both private and public sectors.

The high quality coffee table book, 'Refreshingly Sri Lanka' with 250 pages carries over 160 exclusive photographs supporting a comprehensive text of over 30,000 words describing almost every key tourism attraction in the country. The book covers the 8 product categories of Sri Lanka tourism namely beaches, wildlife, heritage, Ayurveda, sports, scenic beauty, festivals and essence. A must read for traveler-readers to understand why Sri Lanka was rated as the most beautiful island in the whole world by famous the 13th century explorer Marco Polo.

The book forwarded by Dr Taleb Rifai, The Director General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is artistically illustrated by Dilum Alagiyawanna, whose one of the Canon brand ambassador who works as a strategic partner for Canon Singapore in Sri Lanka & Maldives.

"Dr. Godahewa oversaw the emergence of Sri Lankan tourism from a three decade old war in to an era of promised and optimism; under his stewardship arrivals into Sri Lanka have almost doubled in three years," says Dr. Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the UNWTO in his foreword to the book and he concluded with the note "Refreshingly Sri Lanka is a fine repository of the best of Lanka's attractions and activities covering the various facets of Sri Lanka". Hiran Coorey, former Chairman of PATA, Pacific Asia Travel Association and currently the Chairman of Jetwing Group delivering the key note address at the event pointed out that 'Refreshingly Sri Lanka Coffee Table Book' fulfills a long felt need to clearly communicate Sri Lanka's tourism value proposition to the rest of the world. "We all know why Sri Lanka is special as a Tourism Destination. But very few have explained it as clearly as Dr. Godahewa and Dilum," said Cooray.

The publication of this high quality coffee table book has been sponsored by Canon Singapore and Metropolitan Group of Sri Lanka; Together, Canon and Metropolitan has supported many initiatives ranging from promoting sustainable tourism, culture and heritage to protecting wild life, fauna and flora. Such initiatives include the support to the world heritage Kandy Esala Perehera.

"Canon Singapore Private Limited and Metropolitan Office (Pvt) Ltd feel hugely privileged to sponsor this book in partnership with its renowned author and photographers.

We are proud that Dilum Alagiyawanna has chosen Canon equipment to shoot all the images of this wonderful book 'Refreshingly Sri Lanka'." said Wrixon Wong, Senior Manager from Canon Singapore.

Jewel Sri Lanka today

Indunil Hewage

The largest international Gem, Mineral and Jewellery exhibition, 'Jewels Sri Lanka 2012' will tee-off today at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre (SBMEC).

The three day exhibition is organized by the National Gem and Jewellery Authority in association with the Gemologists Association of Sri Lanka under the patronage of the Ministry of Environment.

The event is specially designed to uplift and give exposure to Sri Lanka's Gem and Jewellery Industry and will pave opportunities and the new business community which in turn will help the economic and social growth of the country.

This years exhibition will see the participation of local producers and sellers, international buyers and sellers and this will be an idealplatform for local exhibitors to showcase their precious stones or Jewellery and to create much needed business relationships with theinternational community. A large number of trade visitors, from leading business organizations in U.S.A. Europe, Russia, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Turkey is expected to participate at the 'Jewels Sri Lanka 2012' exhibition.

The exhibitor profile includes gem exporters, wholesalers, dealers, lapidarists, Diamond Manufacturers and wholesellers, jewellery manufacturers, exporters and retailers, education and training service providers will showcase laboratory and certification services, export ready SME's, Machinery, equipment and tools for gem gravel washing, gem cutting, Jewellery manufacture, gold testing, computer aided designing and others will also be on show.

Colombo City Hotel to add capacity

Shirajiv Sirimane

The management of Colombo City Hotel is on the lookout to invest a further Rs. 100 million to add capacity to the property.

Managing Director, Colombo City Hotels, Gamini S. Mathew, said that they were looking to add around 30 more rooms and also the up grading of the hotel to three star status.

He said that the hotel which was a family owned property, was the only 'city hotel' concept property in Colombo. Mathew said that with the ending of the war, more tourists, sailors and business travellers had been patronizing Colombo. He said the hotel had seen a 15% profits as against the previous year, while the management had also paid a one year profit bonus to the employees. "We are currently

maintaining an occupancy of over 86%, which was one reason we decided to add more rooms." he said. The century old property had been rented out to many establishments and the management had decided to convert it to a 'City Hotel' in 2003.

"We had confidence to invest Rs. 53 million during bad times to build 35 rooms and we were happy with the decision."

Subsequently, the hotel had also added 26 more rooms in 2005 and had now added parking slots to accommodate15 cars as well.

In addition, the roof top restaurant that consists of 80 covers and the ground floor Sidewalk Cafe which was very popular among the customers, business travellers and Indian tourists, the hotel is also popular among locals who visit Colombo from outstations for over night stay.

He also praised architects Navin Gunaratne and Jayantha Perera for taking the minimum space available to rebuild the hotel to international standards.

The hotel is located in the business district of "Echelon Square," Sri Lanka's most coveted business address with financial service companies, Commercial Banks, Ceylinco Towers, Port of Colombo, World Trade Centre and National Agencies such as BOI (Board of Investment) and also the Dutch Hospital, with entertainment venue in close proximity.

Aitken Spence Hotels bags Gold at CA Annual Report Awards

Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings PLC walked away with the Gold Award in the Hospitality Sector category at the recently concluded Institute of Chartered Accountants Annual Report Awards. The annual competition formulated to encourage transparency and accountability in financial reporting in the corporate sector recognizes companies which have demonstrated excellence in transparency, accountability and good governance via their annual reports. The Institute of Chartered Accountants Annual Report Awards has been the focal point in inculcating financial reporting discipline in the corporate sector.

Companies adhering to the stringent guidelines provided by the Institute have no doubt had an advantage over their competitors whilst also providing them with the tools necessary to be competitive at a global level. The competition covers 22 sectors from small business categories such as NGOs, clubs, associations to large conglomerates.

This win highlights the importance Aitken Spence Hotels gives to sustainability, transparency and accountability and provides a clear indication that the company's ongoing commitment to report on its economic, social and environmental impacts.

"We are delighted to have been adjudged the winner in the hospitality sector. This commendation reflects Aitken Spence Hotels' track record of commitment to corporate accountability as well as corporate responsibility. Aitken Spence recognizes that corporate sustainability and ethical conduct are in the interests of the success of our business", said Malin Hapugoda, Managing Director, and Aitken Spence Hotels.

The much anticipated event with its forty eight year old history was held recently with Central Bank Governor, Ajith Nivard Cabraal as the Chief Guest.