Twenty-three students who received training under the NDB Jeevana Livelihood Development Scheme recently graduated in Colombo. The students passed out following a comprehensive training course in Hotel Operations, conducted in association with the International Hotel School of Mt. Lavinia Hotel. This is the second batch from the east coast to have completed and graduated in ...

The defeat of the LTTE in May 2009 has wrought a perceptible change in Sri Lanka’s economic climate, recognised by international financial institutions, foreign media and economic analysts, says in an article on Bangkok Post published on November 28. “Today they see Sri Lanka as one of Asia’s fast-growing nations with huge potential”, the report ...

Veteran golfers from all parts of India will converge on Sri Lanka’s celebrated Victoria Golf Course in Digana, Kandy, to work off the finals of the Touché Golf League (TGL) on Saturday, 4 December. SriLankan Airlines joins this prestigious event and will fly in the winning teams from India, which includes top celebrities as Kapil ...

At a recently concluded event in Tangalle, the third group of 31 students were enrolled under the NDB Jeevana Livelihood Development Scheme, in Hotel Operations, in association with the International Hotel School of Mount Lavinia Hotel.   The initiation of the Jeevana Program in Tangalle is in response to the high demand for trained staff ...

By Chamitha Kuruppu The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna claims spending Rs. 265 billion on an 11-day extravaganza is intolerable for an economically ailing country like Sri Lanka. Addressing a media briefing the JVP warned that the aftermath of hosting the 2018 Commonwealth Games would not be rosy as the Rajapaksa administration predicts According to JVP Propaganda ...

The senior management structure at Cinnamon Grand is seeing significant transformation beginning November, with the country’s award winning city five star hotel upping its benchmarks and Key Performance Indicators in anticipation of the impending tourism boom.  “The changes are strategic and founded on our end goals and targets for the short, medium and longer terms,” ...

Expolanka Holdings PLC said yesterday it has sustained its consolidated NPAT for the first half of FY 2011/12 at Rs. 668 m, with a consolidated NPBT at Rs. 862 m. These results have been achieved against the backdrop of the many challenges faced by the Group in the international trading sector with its global economic ...

Marque fund manager and investor Asanga Seneviratne structures deal; Galadari Brothers part sell stake as part of settlement of cases in UAEThe buying of a 16% stake in Galadari Hotel (Lanka) Plc by the Dubai Government for Rs. 1.18 billion yesterday is expected to throw open the city five star as an attractive investment in ...

Programme by world famous celebrity chef for industry personnelAs an additional event in the World Spice Food Festival, this year Sri Lanka Tourism together with the Ceylon Hotel School Graduates Association (CHSGA) and the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM) is bringing down an internationally renowned celebrity chef to introduce and demonstrate ...

Following the success of the World Spice Food Festival since 2005, Sri Lanka Tourism is once again staging the World Spice Food Festival 2011 with the aim of showcasing culinary expertise from around the world with added Sri Lankan flavour. The festival will be held from 28 October to 9 November in Colombo. This year’s ...

SriLankan Airlines and Air Canada yesterday announced a codeshare agreement that will make flying between Sri Lanka and Canada more convenient. “This code share between the two national carriers opens up several key points in Canada in addition to the main cities of Toronto and Montreal and will be a tremendous boost to tourism between ...

Sri Lanka’s iconic The Fortress Resort and Spa based in Koggala was again thrust into the global spotlight when it won a brace of trophies at the coveted World Luxury Hotel Awards 2011 held in Croatia last week, which included the accolade for ‘World’s Best Luxury Coastal Hotel’. It also walked away with the premier ...

The premier world-wide sustainability merit ‘Green Globe Certification’ was achieved by Cinnamon Lodge Habarana with a compliance of 78% of the 248 preset standards. The five star resort located in the heart of the cultural triangle was constructed keeping the idea of ‘going green’ in mind. The 27 acre property was an arid piece of ...

The policy changes, reforms and modernisation since Budget 2011 appears to have been the context of a presentation made to the Joint Apparel Association Forum in July 2011 by the “leading light” in finance, planning, treasury management and economic development. Sri Lanka background 2000-’10 The presentation articulates the background issues experienced from 2000 to 2010. ...

Last week I received an invite for an ‘Inventors Day Celebration’ in one of the leading schools in the country and the master in charge shared a thought that I felt was a cutting edge idea. Apparently, every one of us is an inventor in some part of our daily life. The issue is that ...

In what is likely to be major breakthrough to the litigation-filled long-drawn-out impasse at Hilton Colombo-owning company Hotel Developers Plc (HDL), a proposal for an amicable win-win settlement has been presented to the Treasury. Sources said that as per the proposals with four options studied by Treasury, major shareholder Cornel Perera (owning 56% but held ...

Targets hotel sector; offers seven FCS products to local customersBy Cheranka Mendis Supporting the boost in tourism, integrated solution provider Fentons Limited forged a partnership with one of the world’s leading hospitality solution providers, FCS Computer Systems, on Wednesday, offering Sri Lankan hospitality industrialists world class solutions for their companies. The partnership, whi...

By Cheranka Mendis Pioneers in ayurvedic hospitals and resorts, Hettigoda Group yesterday ceremonially opened its newly renovated Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort in Wadduwa. The resort which has been completely renovated and refurbished at a cost of Rs. 150 million in a period of two months is looking at expanding and adding more features within the ...

The premier world-wide sustainability merit ‘Green Globe Certification’ was achieved by Bentota Beach Hotel. The Green Globe certification requires conformity to 248 preset standards, some of which being energy efficient measures, emission reduction, effective water management and waste management systems with to emphasis on reduce, recycle and reuse. The team at Bentota Beach Hotel im...

Stock Broking firm Capital Alliance suggests that the 2.6 million tourist arrivals target isn’t a pipedream but achievable though it will be only by 2020, which is 4 years later than the Government and industry set timeline of 2016. “The Government projects 2.5m arrivals in 2016, but the industry will lack the rooms and trained ...

Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka ’s exotic southeast coastline, is set to welcome 96 top world surfers from 19 countries spanning Argentina , Peru , USA across the globe to New Zealand , to compete in SriLankan Airlines Pro Surfing contest held in association with Australasia ’s Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) from 30th August – ...

Cross Border Academy (CBA) is one of the primary hospitality education providers in Sri Lanka, with a highly-reputed team of lecturers who possess decades of hands-on experience in the hotel and tourism industry. The academy is partnered with Dimensions Education Group of Singapore, which was established in 1980 and Wissen Academy of Singapore, the subsidiary ...

With the tourism boom now experienced in Sri Lanka and projections to attract 2.5 million tourists per annum by the year 2016 seemingly going well according to plan, the country is currently positioning itself on the global tourism map as a star product. “But in order to do this, we need a long term marketing ...

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 ...

After two decades, Hilton Colombo owning company Hotel Developers finally releases accounts Accumulated losses by end FY 2009/2010 top Rs. 10 billion Revaluation of hotel results in Rs. 4.7 b gain yet company beset with negative networth of Rs. 4.7 b as against Rs. 8.26 b in 2008/9 Total outstanding loans and borrowings near Rs ...

Bangkok: The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has published a 24-page analysis of the meetings, incentives, conference and exhibition (MICE) industry in Asia. The report, in the latest edition of PATA’s Issues & Trends, shows that Asia accounts for 16% of total meetings worldwide. Asian destinations are increasingly seeking to attract MICE visitors as they ...

The iconic Fortress Resort & Spa has scored another first by launching a butler service with a batch of 15 internationally-trained butlers. The hand-picked teams of butlers have graduated with honours following an intensive 4 week programme held by the Australian Butler School, whose philosophy is to train service professionals committed to the enhancement of ...

The dream of most youth and the general public is a good education for the success of his or her future to become a fruitful citizen of their respective country. Sri Lankans too share the same view. At present there is a great increase of foreign educational institutions in Sri Lanka. On 24 June 2011 ...