Sri Lanka has been named among the top emerging travel destinations in the world. The global travel and tourism industry identified Sri Lankaas part of a group of emerging countries with potential as attractive holiday destinations behind the so-called BRICS nations. Sri Lanka was named as it is re-emerging after the civil war, investing in ...

The World Travel Market 2011 report has highlighted Sri Lanka among five other nations which have future growth potential. According to the WTM latest report Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and Argentina has been earmarked as new emerging countries behind BRIC nations Brazil, Russia, India, China and most recently South Africa. Sri Lanka has been included in ...

The World Travel Market 2011 Industry Report released on Monday has included Sri Lanka among a group of countries which are second best for tourism in terms of attraction and growth whilst BRICs have been rated the best. The grouping carries the acronym SLIMMA with WTM experts choosing SL of Sri Lanka for it. Others ...

One of the world’s leading oil companies, Russia’s oil giant Gazprom will send a a group of technical specialists to Sri Lanka to explore gas drilling in the off the northwest coast of the country, government media reported. Gazprom has expressed its intention to join the gas drilling in the Mannar Basin earlier this year. ...

Following is the speech delivered by Deputy Minister of Technology and Research Faizer Mustapha at the SLIM Brand Excellence awards held early this week What better time than this to discuss your theme, ‘Impossible is Nothing’? We’ve done it! You may ask what I mean by this statement. We fought the ruthless LTTE and defeated ...

Air Arabia, a leading low-cost carrier (LCC) in the Mena region, will introduce direct services to Moscow and Yekaterinburg in Russia, beginning 14 and 29 October respectively. The two new Air Arabia destinations are the first in Russia. Moscow and Yekaterinburg will become the carrier’s fifth and sixth destination in CIS and Russian Federation and ...

In the latest figures available, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) last week reported that the preliminary figures for international visitor arrivals into Asia/Pacific destinations1 for July 2011 show a year-on-year increase of 7%. Director of the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre John Koldowski PATA’s Strategic Intelligence Centre notes that the growth rate has become more ...

Justice and fair-play is paramount Justice and fair-play are of paramount importance to all members of the world family consisting of 193 nations expecting justice and fair-play equally. It is the principle on which the United Nations was established in place of the less-effective League of Nations, in order to settle differences among nations based ...

Industry expects modest growth but no boom expectationsby Cheranka Mendis The tourism industry is looking at a 10-15% increase during the coming winter season although there will be no sell-out as earlier expected, according to industry experts. The season, which usually amounts to the highest number of arrivals each year, was initially expected to bring ...

Sri Lankan Airlines has begun flights to Moscow as it expands its network and increases the number of planes in the fleet.  The first flight to the Russian capital was on September 17, a twice-weekly scheduled service between Katunayake International Airport and Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport. The island’s national carrier has been expanding steadily over the ...

By Cheranka Mendis Tapping into the high-end tourism market Russia would help boost tourism numbers in large volumes and drive the industry to surpass the expected arrivals of 750,000 by the end of the year to over 800,000. SriLankan Airlines yesterday made its first direct flight to Moscow, the financial and political centre of Russia. ...

Time.com: Aboard the Man Gyong Bong, fresh coffee is served, along with dried fish and local beer. Karaoke parties pep the night life. That said, turn on a faucet and there’s usually no water – and cabins are more like dormitories. Welcome to North Korea’s first cruise ship. If all goes according to the plans ...

The Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) has launched a new campaign with a budget of 19 million euros ($26.7 million) designed to boost international tourism to Cyprus this year. According to Alecos Orountiotis, CTO chairman, the “Cyprus in Your Heart” campaign will promote Cyprus’ history and culture, friendliness and hospitality, its mix of modern and contemporary ...

Despite crises in most world markets, the Government yesterday remained upbeat on prospects for Sri Lanka’s exports which have grown by 35% so far to reach $ 5 billion giving optimism that end 2011 figure would top $ 10 billion. “On the back of 21% growth in exports in 2010, current year’s exports have grown ...

Reuters: England piled more misery on India with a thrilling six-wicket victory in a one-off Twenty20 match at Old Trafford on Wednesday. After losing the test series 4-0, India started brightly in the shortest version of the game and racked up 165 all out, only to see England reach their target with three balls to ...

Now Sri Lanka is enjoying the dividends of peace. The growth of the tourism sector can be witnessed. This is more important for economic growth since the country always depends on garments as well as traditional exports like tea. Especially for products like garments, we have to import the materials from overseas. So the net ...

By Marianne David Warm, welcoming and exuding good cheer, the Cinnamon Lakeside’s newest General Manager Denis Gruhier perfectly fits into the best qualities the hospitable hotel is well-known for and his affirmation of Sri Lanka’s optimistic post-war outlook for tourism in particular and the country in general is welcoming news indeed. Having joined the Lakeside ...

Combined publicity programme The Government’s plan to formulate a combined publicity programme to build a unified brand for Sri Lanka tourism is well timed and one of the brilliant steps taken in the right direction. It is noted that the project is to be named Tourism Promotion Programme (TPP). Currently Sri Lanka is at the ...

Reuters: A hotel in orbit, lunar sightseeing flights and luxury rides into the cosmos – all are part of Russia’s vision to ensure it is not left behind in the growing space tourism industry. Russian firms unveiled their plans at the country’s premiere air show this week at Zhukovsky, outside Moscow, saying the race was ...

A high level delegation from Russian oil and natural gas giant Gazprom led by its Director General Gulev Valeriy this week met Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa at his office in order to discuss investment opportunities, especially in the oil exploration in the Mannar and Cauvery Basin, natural gas market as well as tourism ...

“What hurts me is that the panel has failed to recognize the immense steps the government has taken to bring peace and reconciliation, matched with development, to the north and north-east of the country that not too long ago was controlled with an armed fist by the LTTE states Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.Within the first 12 months of the war ending we even re-settled over 350,00 displac...

The world tourism secretary of the United Nations has said that Sri Lanka is the emerging country in Asia. Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organization Dr. Taleb Rifai has said that the measures adopted in Sri Lanka have been lauded by the World Tourism Organization. Tourists are drawn towards the scenic beauty as ...

The Secretary General of World Tourism Organization has said that Sri Lanka is the emerging country in Asia. Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organization Dr. Taleb Rifai has said that the measures adopted in Sri Lanka have been lauded by the World Tourism Organization. Tourists are drawn towards the scenic beauty and as ...

by M.D. Nalapat That old habits die hard is clear from the way in which the functionaries of the European Union seek to influence the developing economies on the best way to manage their nations. And woe betide those leaders...

INTRODUCTION The Friday Forum is an informal gathering of public spirited persons committed to contributing to the future development of Sri Lanka within a framework of democracy, pluralism and social justice. The Forum brings together a diversity of expertise and...

By K. Ratnayake Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse’s trip to New York and speech at the UN General Assembly last week had two main purposes: to cover up for war crimes committed during the country’s civil war and to appeal...

Weekend extravaganza will feature world renowned DJs, entertainers and a host of theme parties, rave music, jaw-dropping acts, state-of-the-art lighting and sound, international DJs and artistes. Scintillate 2010 will come to life from July 30 to August 1 at Amaya Reef, Hikkaduwa. Event Connections Private Limited, in partnership with French Seduction, a world renowned international ...

By Ashok K Mehta After winning a war that no Sri Lankan President dared even try to, and emerging triumphant from every election he has fought since 2005 President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is directly responsible for altogether 78 institutions, and...

Budget’s, Chinthana’s 8% growth target An economist picked holes on the Government’s Mahinda Chinthana policy document that envisages the economy to grow by 8% and to double the per capita g.d.p. income to U.S.$ 4,000 by 2015. Professor Srimal Abeyratne, Senior Lecturer, Colombo University’s Economics Department, speaking at a seminar on Wednesday said that the ...

Sri Lankan and Ukrainian leaders hold bilateral talks to further solidify relations between the two countries. The two countries have signed three agreements. President Rajapaksa is visiting Ukraine at the invitation of his Ukrainian counterpart Victor Yanukovych. He arrived at the Kiev’s Boryspil International Airport last night. He was accorded a very warm welcome at ...