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 ...

Having being involved actively in the last seven years of Sri Lanka’s economic development agenda, the last two years in particular have been dramatic in nature. Private sector thinking has now come into the public sector which is interesting but needs to be careful managed so that we do not lose the democratic spirit of ...

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 17th SAARC summit ended on Friday with the adoption of a 20-point ‘Addu Declaration’ to forge effective cooperation among the member states in a host of areas including economy, connectivity, climate change and food security. The Addu Declaration was adopted at the concluding session in presence of all heads of government and states of ...

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,” ...

By Sanath Weerasuriya in London The curtain rises at the World Travel Mart in London yesterday with a new hope for Sri Lanka Tourism to go beyond its target of 800,000 tourist arrivals to the country by the end of this year. The business for the Sri Lanka Tourism at the modern architecturally designed Sri ...

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 ...

Assistant Barman at the Cinnamon Lodge, Habarana Harsha Dilhan Fernando has won second place in the all-island Signature cocktail for Sri Lanka Tourism competition, conducted under the auspices of the Sri Lanka Tourist Board. The event was held at the Galle Face Hotel. He had already been placed first place in the Cultural Triangle regional ...

Chaaya Wild Yala, officially opened its doors on the 1st of November 2011, the resort which underwent a complete refurbishment and re-branding effort imprints its signature foot in the deep South, bordering Sri Lanka’s most famed National Park. The resort’s offerings stem from responsible tourism practices aimed at conserving and being one with its precious ...

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 ...

The last week was an eventful week indeed. We barely recovered from the news of the death of the maverick inventor Steve Jobs. Although I am a loyal Microsoft right-brain person, I admired the ‘left-brain innovative spirit’ of Apple and the ingenuity of the man. He had not gone to university and had what some ...

Bollywood cinema’s latest female sensation Ms.Sonakshi Sinha arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday via Sri Lankan Airlines UL 142 at 5.44 a.m. from Mumbai –India for a four- day special promotional assignment in the country. The Bollywood beauty was given a very warm reception on arrival at the BIA, with a traditional welcome dance and greeted ...

Amidst crises in the region, Sri Lanka remains the star for both stock market and tourism sector performance in Asia. As reported in the Daily FT on Monday, the Colombo Stock Exchange remains Asia’s best performing frontier market with an over 2% year to date growth. This is in contrast to sharp plunges by other ...

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 ...

JKH Deputy Chairman and President of the Leisure Group Ajit Gunewardene is all smiles at the launch of the awareness campaign for Chaaya Tranz Hikkaduwa and Chaaya Wild Yala last evening at the Cinnamon Grand, as the Architect behind the transformation of the former Coral Gardens and Yala Village Channa Daswatte (left) and Sector Head ...

Hotels to be open for business on 1 Nov after US$ 16 m upgrade By Marianne David Top blue chip John Keells Holdings (JKH) yesterday formally announced the revamp of its footprint in the leisure sector with the opening of Chaaya Tranz Hikkaduwa and Chaaya Wild Yala from 1 November. The former Coral Gardens and ...

New offerings Chaaya Tranz Hikkaduwa and Chaaya Wild Yala to be launched on 1 NovemberBy Marianne David The John Keells Hotels Group’s latest offerings – Chaaya Tranz Hikkaduwa and Chaaya Wild Yala – are gearing up to take the industry by storm, as the group continues with heavy investments, throwing its weight behind Sri Lanka’s ...

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 ...

John Keells Stock Brokers (JKSB) is forecasting Fortress Hotels PLC to post net earnings of Rs. 215.7 m for FY2012 and an earnings figure of Rs. 299.4 m for FY2013, considering the anticipated elevation of the hotel sector of the country and the refurbishments that are planned to go through during the year. Here are ...

Jetwing Hotels at the Bridal Fair 2011Being held for the 15th successful year, the Bridal Fair is Sri Lanka’s premier event for all wedding related matters. Using the concept of providing all wedding needs under one roof, complementing Jetwing Hotels’ comprehensive and tailored wedding and honeymoon packages perfectly. Held at the Sri Lanka Exhibition and ...

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 ...

* Travel industry more susceptible to economic shocks * Demand for luxury hotels growing * All-inclusive deals popular in UK COLOGNE, Germany (Reuters):Travel groups are juggling exclusive, luxury products and package deals to ensure they attract customers and maintain returns in the face of online competition and consumer cutbacks, a travel and tourism conference heard. ...

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...

Perhaps squashing rumours that its project is off, Shangri-La Hotel this week put up a large hoarding at its site in Galle Face announcing that it will be opened for business by 2015. Shangri-La is the biggest and initial breakthrough for post-war Sri Lanka’s tourism sector with an estimated $ 600 million investment in a ...

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 ...