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| Friday, 17 December 2004 |
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Comprehensive MICE travel programme SriLankan Airlines has just concluded a comprehensive marketing campaign to promote MICE tourism in India. Sri Lanka's closest neighbour and fastest growing market for SriLankan Airlines has been identified as a high potential market especially the meetings market. Last month a team from Sri Lanka comprising representatives from SriLankan Airlines, the Sri Lanka Conventions Bureau, three leading hotels and three tour operators did a road show in India covering destinations like Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore. Value for money hotel rates, competitive air fares, a shorter travel time and the absence of a visa requirement contribute to make Sri Lanka a competitive and attractive destination for MICE travellers from India. The Indian currency translates to more than double the Sri Lankan currency and visitors from land locked cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad enjoy reclining on the sun drenched beaches, bargain shopping for branded garments and experiencing the vibrant night life at leisure. As Sri Lanka gears upto promote Meetings Incentives Conferences Events (MICE) travel to the country, SriLankan Airlines is focussing its efforts on the meetings and incentives market. Targeting the meetings and incentives market is increasingly viable as infrastructure facilities in Sri Lanka are geared to accommodate these groups. The primary market for conferences is from India and Europe is a key incentive market. Tourist arrivals from India to Colombo between January and September were 67,900 passengers and of this over 5000 arrivals from corporates in India were travelling to conferences, an indication of the lure that Sri Lanka has for MICE travellers from India. Over 150 groups have visited Sri Lanka from India during this period including corporates such as Tata Teleservices, Microsoft, Gillette, Samsung, Fedex, Dupont and Dr. Reddy's lab. Plans to actively bid for conventions through Sri Lankan's Indian offices are already on the cards. In addition to a dedicated brochure titled "Meet Sri Lanka," the airline's MICE unit has a comprehensive MICE travel programme which offered products and services which help, plan and manage air travel for MICE groups and individuals attending meetings or conventions. Special air fares to delegates, rebated tickets to keynote speakers and conference organisers for promotional purposes, promotion of conferences through its worldwide offices, meeting and assisting delegates at the airport on arrival and special group check-in at departure are provided in addition to special in-flight services, announcements and reconfirmation facilities at conference venues. MICE travellers are often repeat travellers and travel can be promoted during the off peak season, maximising the benefit to the airline. Sri Lanka's network spans 42 destinations in 23 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. SriLankan Airlines has emerged as an award winning airline with accolades for being the Best Airline in Central Asia for the fourth consecutive year. Skytrax Airline surveys which also presented the airline with awards for being the runner-up for Best Cabin Staff in 2003 and for having the Worlds Friendliest Cabin Crew in 2002 are recognised internationally as the leading global monitor of passenger opinions. The airline was also presented an operational excellence award by Airbus industries for being the most efficient operator of Airbus A330 in the small fleet category among all the world's airlines operating A330s in 2002 and 2003. The airline recently won the TTG Asia award for being the best airline in South Asia. ########## 40m rupee investment on Earls Regency expansion by Prasad Abu Bakr Aitken Spence Hotels group has invested a sum of Rupees 40 million on an expanding programme of its luxury property in the hill capital, Earls Regency, which is in Kundasale. General Manager Roshan Fernando said that this move has been taken to accommodate more of the up-market clientele that is expected in the hotel this season and through 2005. In addition to the existing rooms a brand new block named 'Tranquillity Wing' consisting of 18 new rooms are being given the final touches. This new block will also have in it two suites that will open into spacious and well laid out Japanese gardens with a collection of typical foliage to compliment its surroundings. The entire block of new rooms are designed with a picturesque view of the Mahaweli river. This De-Luxe wing will have a 24 hour Butler service which will set it apart from the rest of the regular room operations. Guests will also have an opportunity of enjoying the comforts and pampering of the 'Renaissance Spa' the only comprehensive wellness spa to be found in the hill capitol which will dispense treatment in five well equipped treatment rooms. Thusith Samaraweera the Resident Manager at the hotel said that a new fine dining restaurant is also due to be opened with an adjoining show kitchen which will be in full view to its diners enableing them to see their orders being prepared. The Wine cellar is another area that is presently being up-graded. The re-dressing of the wine cellar is done at a cost of Rs. 2 million. Earls Regency is one of the high end properties that opened in Kandy during the late nineties. ############# Culture Club wins the Leisure and Entertainment award Culture Club won the first place in the Leisure and Entertainment Category of National Business Excellence Awards organized by the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka, recently. Culture Club has been designed to look like a Sri Lankan village, with little chalet style cottages, spread over 45 acres land. It commenced initially with completed 40 chalets on January 1994. and thereafter it came up to 72 chalets and 11 eco-lodges lately. The chalets are elegantly designed to the motif of age-old Sinhala Culture and equipped with modern facilities. All these chalets are given "birds" names like "Sri Lankan Jungle Fowl", "Indian Darter", "Greater Cormorant", "Gray Horn Bill", etc. as Culture Club is a bird friendly resort. The Ceremony for presentation of awards was held at Colombo Hilton and the Chief Guest was Sarath Amunugama, Minister of Finance. Suranimala Senaratne, Managing Director received the award on behalf of Culture Club Resorts. ############## Bentota Beach Hotel wins Neckermann Reisen award
Bentota Beach Hotel, the flagship resort hotel of Keells Hotel Management Services Ltd., has been selected from among the 100 best and most popular resort hotels by Neckermann Reisen, the tour operating brand of Thomas Cook Group for the second time. The selection criteria were based on the Neckermann Reisen clientele ranking the best holiday resorts, and feature over 4,500 hotel properties worldwide. The hotel has achieved this award for its excellent standards, service and quality ensured in their properties. Bentota Beach Hotel has already made its mark in the international front by winning many prestigious awards over the years. Being one of Bawa's most important buildings, Bentota Beach a tropical resort lies cradled between the sea and the lagoon, endowed with stunning views and exceptional recreational facilities. An exquisitely crafted landscape and spacious and elegant architecture complement the unique ambience that can lie only between sea and river. The lagoon provides an excellent opportunity for water sport enthusiasts with water skiing, wave boarding, banana boating and snorkelling. Activities provided by the hotel include rides along river or exploring cinnamon islands, temples, monasteries, museums, even rainforests, wildlife and hills carpeted with the most sought after teas in the island. Bentota Beach is a popular location for romantic weddings, hosting over 300 traditional Sri Lankan wedding ceremonies for grateful guests over the past three years. It is also a preferred destination of honeymooning couples. Designed to satisfy all the senses, at all times, it is indeed the last word in hospitality. |
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