APRIL - MAY 2014 EDITOR IN CHIEF Harsha Udayakantha Peiris
DEPUTY EDITOR Rathindra Kuruwita SUB EDITOR Rikaza Hassan CONTRIBUTORS FROM MAIDEN ISSUE Prof. Rohana P. Mahaliyanaarachchi Dept. of Agri Business Management of Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka Dr. Iraj Ratnayake Dept. of Tourism Management of Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka Dr. Ashoka Dangolla Senior Lecturer of University of Peradeniya Sri Lanka and Veterinary Specialist Anslem de Silva - The President of Amphibia and Reptile Research Organization of Sri Lanka (ARROS) Dr. Ruchira Somaweera – Senior Zoologist, BIOLOGIC Environmental Survey, Australia Vasantha Nugegoda – Zoologist and Animal Habitat Specialist Chamalka Kothalawala – Taxidermist, National Museums, Colombo Sri Lanka Chandima Jayaweera – The Most Outstanding Chauffeur Tourist Guide (Nature & Wildlife) SLTA 2012 Raju Vyas – Gujarat, India Indaka karunadasa – Journalist Teshani Wanninayake - Freelance writer Sri Lanka Tourism National Museums Colombo
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CONSULTANT EDITOR Renuka Bandaranayake
FOOD - LIFE
UPHILLS
'HELA VIRU RASA UDANAYA 2014' – SL ARMY IN A MISSION TO RESURRECT TASTES OF A BYGONE ERA
THE MINI WORLD’S END AT N’ELIYA ‘SANDATHENNA’ (MOON-PLAINS) IS A UNIQUE PIECE OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND AGRICULTURE TOURISM ZONE IN NUWARA ELIYA, DECLARED OPEN RECENTLY BY THE GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES OF THE CENTRAL PROVINCE. HERE A VISITOR CAN ADMIRE SEVERAL OF SRI LANKA’S MOUNTAIN FORESTS, VALLEYS, BIO-DIVERSITY AND INDIGENOUS PLANTS AS WELL AS ANIMALS OF CENTRAL HILLS.
THE FIRST EVER EXHIBITION OF CULINARY SKILLS OF ARMY PERSONNEL HELD RECENTLY IN NUWARA ELIYA IN THE FESTIVE SEASON, ATTRACTED HUNDREDS OF LOCAL AND FOREIGN VISITORS.
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ARCHITECTURE
BOGAMBARA A PRISON NO MORE UNDER THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROCEDURES IMPLEMENTED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, THE FREED PRISON AT BOGAMBARA, IN THE HEART OF THE HERITAGE CITY OF KANDY WILL BE CONVERTED TO AN INTERNATIONALLY IMPORTANT FACILITY. FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO FREELY WALK INTO THIS HISTORICAL PRISON, TO SEE IT FOR THEMSELVES.
TEA TOURISM
BRINGING BACK THE GLORY TO CEYLON TEA SRI LANKA’S FIRST EVER TEA HOUSE ‘CEYLON TEA MOMENTS’ SRI LANKA’S FIRST EVER CEYLON TEA HOUSE, ‘CEYLON TEA MOMENTS’ DECLARED OPEN RECENTLY BY THE FIRST LADY SHIRANTHI RAJAPAKSA AT THE GRAND STAND OF THE RACE COURSE COMPLEX IN COLOMBO.
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PHOTOGRAPHY
COLORS
Aloka I de Silva Chandima Jayaweera Maheesha Mindula Warna Liyanawatte Sanju Samarasinghe Suranga Cooray K. Herath Achintha Dahanayake Upul De Zoysa
CUT FLOWER INDUSTRY – GLORY OF FLOWERS IT WAS IN 1970 THAT CUT FLOWER CULTIVATION AN ORGANIZED INDUSTRY IN SRI LANKA AND OVER THE YEARS IT HAS BECOME A SOURCE OF CONSIDERABLE FOREIGN INCOME.
MANAGEMANT
Bharatha Gunathilake Chief Executive Officer Global Media Holdings (pvt) Ltd
MARKETING
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GRAPHICS
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DESTINATIONS
6KM TO PIDURUTHALAGALA
THE PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT PREVAILING IN THE COUNTRY AT PRESENT, HAS ALLOWED LOCAL AND FOREIGN TRAVELERS TO TRAVERSE FREELY THROUGH PIDURUTHALAGALA MOUNTAIN THAT IS FULL OF PICTURESQUE SCENERIES.
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HERITAGE
NUWARAKANDA RAJA MAHA VIHARAYA HIDDEN AMIDST A FOREST COVERING OF NUWARAKANDA MOUNTAIN, THE NUWARAKANDA RAJA MAHA VIHARAYA, HAD BEEN A MONASTERY SINCE THE THIRD CENTURY BC, WHEN IT WAS BUILT BY A PROVINCIAL KING ON THE ORDER OF KING DEVANAMPIYATISSA TO HOST 32 ARHANTS.
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AGRO
ALL FRESH VEGETABLE AT BARGAIN PRICES ALTHOUGH IT IS THE RAINY SEASON FOR THE UP COUNTRY, THE SMALL SCALE FARMING COMMUNITY IN THE AREA ARE MUCH HAPPIER TO AND PLEASED WELCOME VISITORS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO BUY THEIR FRESH HOME GARDEN YIELD.
CONTENTS
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UPCOMING
BEST WESTERN LAYS FOUNDATIONS IN SRI LANKA
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COMFORTS
ELLA MOUNT HEAVEN – TO BE ONE WITH NATURE
ELLA MOUNT HEAVEN, WITH ITS SPACIOUS ROOMS CLOSE TO 1000 SQUARE FEET, AND QUALITY SERVICE IS A WELCOME ADDITION TO THE TOURIST INFRASTRUCTURE IN ELLA
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FRUITY
THE RED TUNNELS – STRAWBERRY FARM IN MEEPILIMANA
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DEVELOPING STORY
IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY VITAL FOR TOURISM
PRABATH FONSEKA, THE MASTERMIND BEHIND MIRAGE – COLOMBO’S NEWEST CITY HOTEL EMPHASIZES THE SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND VISITS ONE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF IMPROVING THE HR IN THE SECTOR IN ORDER TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY IF SL AIMS HUB FEW FARMS THAT ALLOW OUTSIDERS IN DURING AN EXCLUSIVE VISIT TO NUWARA ELIYA. STATUS IN THE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE INDUSTRY OF HOSPITALITY.
BEST WESTERN INTERNATIONAL – THE WORLD’S LARGEST HOTEL CHAIN EMBARKS ON A MAJOR EXPANSION STRATEGY IN ONE OF ASIA’S MOST EXCITING EMERGING MARKETS, SRI LANKA.
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NATURE
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HORTON PLAINS – FROM A HUNTING GROUND TO TOURISM HOTSPOT
HOMELY ESCONDITE - THE PERFECT HIDEOUT IN COLOMBO ONE OF SRI LANKA’S NEWEST COMPANIES TO VENTURE INTO THE THRIVING TOURISM BUSINESS – ASIA ORIENT LEISURE (PVT) LTD OPENS ITS FLAGSHIP PROPERTY – THE ESCONDITE, IN THE SUBURBS OF SRI JAYAWARDENEPURA.
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LEISURE
A CELEBRATION OF UNITY – SINHALA AND TAMIL NEW YEAR IN GERMANY
THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF SRI LANKA IN FRANKFURT, GERMANY CELEBRATES THE SINHALA AND TAMIL NEW YEAR IN A MEGA ‘AVURUDU FESTIVAL.’
PICTORIAL
SEASON OF FUN IN NUWARA ELIYA A PICTURE ESSAY OF NUWARA ELIYA IN THE FESTIVE SEASON OF THIS YEAR
BEFORE THE BRITISH ERA HORTON PLACE WAS KNOWN AS ‘MAHA ELIYA OR THE GREAT PLAIN. A BRITISH TEA PLANTER DISCOVERED THE POTENTIAL OF THE AREA AS A GAMING HUB IN THE BEGINNING OF THE 19TH CENTURY.
69 NEWS
VEGETABLE AT NUWARA ELIYA IN THE YEAR 1847, SAMUEL BAKER A COLONIAL EXPLORER INTRODUCED THE GARDENING OF ENGLISH VEGETABLE AT NUWARA-ELIYA. TO DATE NUWARA ELIYA, IS THE LEADING PRODUCER OF EUROPEAN VEGETABLES IN SRI LANKA THAT DISTRIBUTES ITS ALL VARIETIES OF FRESH VEGETABLE PRODUCTS TO THE REST OF THE ISLAND. THE ROAD OUT OF NUWARA ELIYA TOWARDS HAKGALA BOTANICAL GARDENS PASSES THROUGH INTENSIVELY AND VIVIDLY CULTIVATED VEGETABLE FIELDS AND PLOTS. IN A SHORT WALK, UP THE SURROUNDING HILLSIDE AREAS OF NUWARA ELIYA ONE CAN SEE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE INTENSIVE CULTIVATION METHODS OF MANY KINDS OF VEGETABLE HAVE TRANSFORMED NUWARA ELIYA INTO ONE OF SRI LANKA'S MOST PRODUCTIVE AGRICULTURAL REGIONS. AN INSIDE STORY OF THIS EDITION TALKS MORE ON ALL FRESH VEGETABLES AT BARGAIN PRICES IN NUWARA ELIYA. Pix by; Maheesha Mindula 10 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • APRIL - MAY 2014
UPHILLS
THE MINI WORLD’S END OF N’ELIYA Text and pics. by Harsha Udayakantha Peiris
‘
Sandathenna’ (Moon – Plains) is a unique piece of environmental and agriculture tourism zone in Nuwara Eliya, declared open early this year by Central Province Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa with the participation of Ministers and Members of the Central Province invited by the Mayor of Nuwara Eliya Mahinda Dodampegamage and Dr.Rohan Wijekoon the Director General of the Department of Agriculture, implemented by Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council and the Department of Agriculture with the blessings of the Department of Trade, Commerce and Tourism of the Central Province. Here, a visitor can admire several of Sri Lanka’s mount forests, valleys, bio diversity and indigenous plants as well as animals of central hills. In an exclusive tour arranged by Amaranath Samarakoon of Sri Lanka Telecom in Nuwara Eliya on a recent bright Saturday morning we set off to this newly opened picturesque piece of mountain area. While reaching the summit by hired trucks and along the bumpy and curved sandy tracks one can gain a firsthand knowledge about the cultivation of potato and vegetables of the up-country whilst observing the cultivation methods of the Uva province. Private vehicles are prohibited entering the plains owing to environmental, sound and air pollution that may caused by a huge influx of traffic. ‘Sandathenna’ is situated at the edge of Nuwara Eliya plains towards the upper part of the Bomuru Ella Seetha Eliya reserve. It is 6438 feet above the mean sea level and offers a 360 degree view of the surrounding terrain. The whole area or the Moon-Plains is also the catchment area of the Uma Oya reservoir. The Moon-Plains summit offers a magnificent view of Piduruthalagala the highest mountain of Sri Lanka, Single Tree mountain, Kikiliyamana mountain range, Great-Western mountain range, Koknihill Mountain range, Kirigal Poththa mountain range, Thotupola Kanda Mountain, Hakgala mountain range and Namunukula mountain range. A careful environmental observer can also see a number of bird species, butterfly species and mammals here. Peacocks that are very rare in a mountain terrain could also be observed. Tickets to Sandathenna could be obtained from the counter at the Government Seed Potato Farm facility which is the entry point to the mountain range . Visitors can park their private vehicles here to order an authorized truck to the summit. This farm here, had earlier been established at Rahangala farm yard and then at Horton Plains and later was shifted and reestablished at Sandathenna in the year of 1958. (Special thanks to Manoj Amarasinghe of Sri Lanka Telecom Nuwara Eliya) Hakgala mountain range seen on the way to the summit
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Entry path to Sandathenna via the Government Seed Potato Farm facility
Sandy tracks to Sandathenna
Uva Paranagama area seen from the summit
The observation tower built at the summit
A view of the tracks from the summit
Seed Potato Farm monument erected at Government Seed Potato Farm facility in 2009 in commemoration of the 50 years of establishment of seed potato farms.
The main gateway entrance to Sandathenna mountain range
APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 13
FOOD - LIFE
HELA VIRU RASA UDANAYA 2014
T
SL ARMY IN A MISSION TO RESURRECT TASTES OF A BYGONE ERA
he first ever exhibition of culinary skills of Army personnel ‘Hela Viru Rasa Udanaya - 2014’, concluded in Nuwara Eliya on evening April 22nd with a record number of both local and foreign visitors to the event. The authentic food festival commenced on April 15 and was held for eight days having the picturesque Gregory Lake in the backdrop. It attracted over a crowd of 93, 000 from many parts of the country. The event was held from 12.00 noon to 10.00pm every day. The objective of this festival was to reawaken the unique and the authentic Sri Lankan food culture whilst giving a boost to preserve its own culinary art. Sri Lankan food, throughout the history, has been a major identity of a civilization that stood long healthy and wealthy through a unique food culture blended with precious food-life concepts. The Army’s novel approach to resurrect fast dying food varieties, educate the public on the use of traditional quality foods and encourage the public to re-evaluate qualitative ingredients in such foods, marked a huge success for the first time.
Commander of the SL Army - Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Jayanath Colombage and Major General Ubaya Medawala Security Force Headquarters Central at the opening ceremony.
The project, meant to enlighten the public on the quality and nutritional value of those foods from different corners of the island, highlighted the importance of using indigenous food varieties at local level. The exhibition explored possibilities for introducing those foods to new markets and showcased culinary skills of Army personnel which remained not very exposed to the general public. As a great move to complement the Secretary of Defence Gotabhaya Rajapaksa's initiative to showcase hidden talents of soldiers the programme organized on a concept of the Commander of the SL Army - Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake was attended by the Commander on the inaugural day as the Chief Guest. “Unlike many big countries, Sri Lanka being a small island has a rich diversity in its nine provinces which have climatically and culturally unique features. Likewise, the food belonging to each of these provinces also differ from each other. Another objective of this program was to gather hundreds of varieties of such food in one place, which would be a rare experience not only for eager tourists but also for exploring locals,” Major General Ubaya Medawela, Commander, Security Force Headquarters - Central the main personage behind the success of this first ever SL Army food festival said. The event contained 23 food stalls. The nine main stalls that represented the nine provinces of the country had been named in a unique way naming the Western Province stall as 'The place that creates many flavours', Central Province as 'Flavours of the Hill Country', Uva Province as 'The aromas of Wellassa', Sabaragamuwa Province as 'Flavoursome cuisines from Sabaragamuwa', North Western Province as 'The diverse flavours 14 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • APRIL - MAY 2014
THE PROJECT, MEANT TO ENLIGHTEN THE "PUBLIC ON THE QUALITY AND NUTRITIONAL
VALUE OF THOSE FOODS FROM DIFFERENT CORNERS OF THE ISLAND, HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF USING INDIGENOUS FOOD VARIETIES AT LOCAL LEVEL
"
of fertile Wayamba', Eastern Province as 'Cuisines from the land of the rising sun', Southern Province as 'Local flavours of the south', North Central Province as 'The distinctive taste of the reservoir rich land' and Northern Province as 'A range of flavours amidst Palmyrah Palms'. Also, there were many fun- filled activities to entertain the visitors at the event. 48 military Calypso Bands from all Corps of which 22 bands played everyday. It was a distinctive feature to watch all 22 bands play the same song simultaneously scattered across the food festival giving a novel musical experience to those who indulged in the delicious and delectable food. Following the success of this mega food festival the Army is now planning to hold this as an annual national event and include it in the Army calendar. Commander, Security Force Headquarters - Central as the Chief Guest at the closing ceremony, on behalf of the Commander of the SL Army handed over prizes and certificates to the winners of the best food stalls and the best decorated stalls. Several nutritionists also took part in the exhibition on all three days. (Pics. by courtesy of SL Army) Following is a pictorial essay of HELA VIRU RASA UDANAYA 2014.
APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 15
ARCHITECTURE
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Pics. by Harsha Udayakantha Peiris
B
ogambara Prison, situated in the heart of the heritage city of Kandy, was built during the British period of Sri Lanka. British rulers in Sri Lanka established prisons in the country, through the act No18 in 1844. Accordingly, prisons were opened in Welikada (1871), Mahara (1875) and Bogambara (1876).
A part of the area that belonged to the Bogambara lake at the time was filled in order to construct this prison. Designers also studied the models of Bastille Prison, France and the crown of the British Queen in their plans to construct it. It was built to house around 500 prisoners. The constructions of buildings/wards followed the alphabetical order; A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H. When the prison was constructed, a wall with a height of 20 feet was also constructed surrounding it. The prison consisted of 43 cells, 4 chambers and a Hangman's Hill. 92 prisoners were utilized in the construction. All materials for doors and windows for the prison including fittings, hinges and locks were directly imported from Britain. A historical report on this prison states that the monthly salary of a jailer at the time was Rs.10.00, coming to 33 cents a day. Interestingly, the report also states that the high quality of the meals given for prisoners inside resulted in an increase of the number of prisoners during a famine that occurred at the time of the British. 524 prisoners had been hanged to death at the Bogambara Prison by the 23rd June 1976 when the capital punishment ended. Today, after 136 years of its constructions, Bogambara Prison that was initially constructed by the British colonial rulers to detain national heroes has been relieved of its duties. All prisoners here were transferred to other prisons. Under the economic development procedures implemented throughout the country, this valuable plot of land located at the heart of Sri Lanka’s second city will also be converted to an internationally important facility. For the very first time in the history of Sri Lanka, people of the country have been given the opportunity to freely walk into this historical prison, to see it for themselves and to learn, understand and respect the value of freedom and life.
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1. A group of children looking at the multi-coconut scraper once in use at the prison 2. a part of the saw mill inside the prison 3. Crowds visiting the free prison 4. Inside of a cell 5. Saw mill in the prison with original plants and transmission underneath 18 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • APRIL - MAY 2014
8 6. Visitors at the entrance leaving the site after seeing when it was open for public viewing 7. The prison salon 8. The canvas coat
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APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 19
TEA TOURISM
B RI
E H T K C A NGI NG B
O T Y R O GL A E T N O CE YL F I RS T KA’S S RI LA N O USE H A E T EVER
A E T N ‘ C E Y LO T S ’ N E M O M
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Picture shows Sri Lank a's first Tea House 'Ceylo n Tea Moments' officia by First Lady Shiranthi lly declared open Rajapaksa at the Grand stand of the Race Cours Colombo. Also at the offi e Complex in cial opening was Chair person of Sri Lanka Tea Janaki Kuruppu and oth Board (SLTB), er invitees.
APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 21
S
ri Lanka’s first ever Ceylon Tea House, ‘Ceylon Tea Moments’, was declared open by First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa at the Grandstand of the Race Course Complex in Colombo, recently. The Grand Stand, Race Course Complex, Colombo 07, is a landmark site in Colombo famous for its historic importance and architectural uniqueness making it the ideal place for the 2nd most favoured beverage in the world; Tea. The Tea House, which is an initiative of the Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) is carried out in partnership with Sri Lankan Catering to provide a world class tea and food experience to its customers. ‘Ceylon Tea Moments’ brings together the finest teas from seven tea growing regions of the country presenting unique flavors, aromas, strengths and colours unmatched by other origins in the world. It is dedicated to promoting the generic brand ‘Pure Ceylon Tea’ and caters to both foreign and local tea lovers and is the only Tea House in Sri Lanka that promotes a wide variety of internationally acclaimed Ceylon Tea Brands under one roof. The shop specializes in serving freshly brewed hot tea, a wide variety of cold tea concoctions, and tea infused food carefully prepared and presented to consumers. Developing an international chain of tea houses is a part of SLTB’s three year Promotion & Marketing plan since Ceylon Tea being a premium brand, promoting it via tea houses and lounges to market the experience as an essential ingredient to sustain and build the brand image. 100% owned by the Sri Lanka Tea Board, ‘Ceylon Tea Moments’ is managed by Sri Lankan Catering who has over three decades of experience and many accolades in its name for its’ world class food service. Once the model is tried and tested in Colombo, Sri Lanka Tea Board plans to expand ‘Ceylon Tea Moments’ to other strategic tourist locations such as Galle Fort andNuwara Eliya. Based on local success, there are further plans to extend the concept overseas for many of the Ceylon Tea lovers outside of Sri Lanka through franchise operations. PROMOTING THE GENERIC BRAND ‘PURE CEYLON TEA’ FOR THE TEA LOVERS IN AND OUT Targeting tourists and discerning Sri
Lankans, ‘Ceylon Tea Moments’ is also the first Ceylon Tea House dedicated to promoting the generic brand ‘Pure Ceylon Tea’ , highlighting its’ Unique Selling Propositions and the variety of liquors and thereby to develop a tea culture in Sri Lanka. While coffee is viewed as a beverage to be consumed in a rush, people spend time drinking a cup of tea engulfing themselves in the moment making it almost a ritual. They will operate under the tag line ‘A sip of serendipity,’ inviting all its visitors to close their eyes with every sip of Ceylon Tea and reminisce happy moments. Tea is rooted in the Sri Lankan culture and for centuries memories and moments have been cemented over a pot of tea. ‘Ceylon Tea Moments’ is a means of reviving the century old tradition and securing the Sri Lankan Tea Culture. ‘Ceylon Tea Moments’ believe in creating special moments while enjoying a lovely cup of tea with a loved one because memories are made of moments that are treasured. ‘Ceylon Tea Moments’ also specializes in serving freshly brewed hot tea and a wide variety of cold tea concoctions, and tea infused food carefully prepared and presented for tea connoisseurs and tea lovers. A unique feature that differentiates this tea lounge from other tea lounges is that this will be the only chain that promotes the best of Ceylon Tea brands in one place since a wide range of international Ceylon Tea brands will be available at ‘Ceylon Tea Moments’ for consumption as well as to purchase. It is a one-stop-shop to experience and taste a cup of local tea from the seven tea growing regions; NuwaraEliya, Dimbula, Uva, Udapussellawa, Kandy, Ruhuna and Sabaragamuwa. The Seven agro-climatic regions have the unique advantage to produce teas of different flavor, aroma, strength and colour unmatched by other origins in the world. Apart from a wide variety of teas, ‘Ceylon Tea Moments’, is open from breakfast to dinner serving the typical Sri Lankan palette as well as the international palettes. Apart from a wide variety of teas, ‘Ceylon Tea Moments’, is open from breakfast to dinner serving the typical Sri Lankan palette as well as the international palettes.
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DESTINATIONS
A distant view from the top of Piduruthalagala. Adams Peak can be seen far away
A distant scenery from the top through the towers and power lines
The concrete path to the top,dwellings and mountains ranges far away
The concrete drive way to the top and the thick vegetation that surrounds
Some types of trees that can be seen during the drive to the top
Mountain ranges seen at a distance during the drive to the top
The circle on the pillar that indicates the four directions
6km to
PIDURUTHALAGALA Text by Kuma Dissanayake / Pics. by Sandali Subhagya Peiris
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iduruthalagala is the highest mountain and the Forest Reserve situated in Sri Lanka. The peaceful environment prevailing in the country at present, has allowed local and foreign travelers to traverse freely through this beautiful mountain, full of picturesque sceneries. Passing Nuwaraeliya police station and carefully driving through the busy Sunday Fair street, which is narrow, bendy and full of crowds, we came to the check point where the main entrance to the range was located. The day was mildly warm as the morning rays of the sun were gently touching the ground on the early hours of the day. Piduruthalagala Mountain is situated close to the city of Nuwaraeliya. The Forest Reserve that covers the mount is thick, full of greenery and fresh air. The Plant Engineer Regiment and the Field Engineer Regiment of SL Army have constructed a well paved way to reach the top of the mountain and that makes easier for all to reach it by a car, van, cab or jeep within half an hour’s time. At the entrance, the SL Army soldiers who welcome you to the mountain range hand over a leaflet that includes
point of Sri Lanka
instructions that one should adhere during the uphill drive and return. It also has a contact number that you can contact for assistance. The uphill drive is six kilometers from the start. Nuwara Eliya is a mountain valley, an elliptically shaped plateau.All mountains situated on this plateau rise upto 2000 feet. The highest mountain on this plateau , Piduruthalagala is 6240 feet above sea level.It has a height of 8292 feet (2527 mts). During the drive to the top of the mountain travelers are not allowed to stop, get off or walk through the mountain. This to assure one’s own safety. There are clear signs set by the authorities to indicate distance you’ve reached, of animals that you may possibly encounter and other useful warnings and instructions. During the latter part of 1890, there had been a four mile track that had been used to climb Piduruthalagala mountain. We were told that it had been a two and half hours walk to the top. The British had called this “Pedro” as “Piduruthalagala” was not an easy name to pronounce for them. The original Sinhalese meaning is“ Straw laden
rock.”In the dry season, the grass on the flattened mountain top dries up and from a distance the mountain top looks as if it is capped with a spread of straw. At the top of the mountain, are several communication and transmission towers that are of immense importance to radio communication, TV transmissions and to safeguard the sovereignity of Sri Lanka. Interestingly, the top most point of the mountain is marked with a small circular concrete pillar that indicates the four directions. Many visitors take a photograph standing by this pillar as it is the best way to hint that you’ve reached the top-most point of Sri Lanka. For security reasons taking photographs is restricted and you should always follow the instructions given by the SL Army personnel that accompany you at the top. Beside this land mark point is another monument, marked with a plaque built by the SL Army,in memory of the completion of the whole well paved track from the entrance to the top of the mountain. Also on the top, there is a Buddhist shrine room with a pagoda. The sceneries of the valleys and distant mountain ranges from here are breathtaking. If one carefully watches for sometime from the top of Piduruthalagala mountain, regions such as Colombo, Adam’s Peak, Dondra Head, Horton’s Plains, and even other faraway places such as Namunukula, Bintenna,Yala, Hambantota, SoraboraWewa and Trincomalee could also be spotted.
built by the SL Army
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COLORS
CUT FLOWER INDUSTRY
lory of GFlowers Text and Pics by Indaka Karunadasa
A Gerbara Cultivation 26 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • APRIL - MAY 2014
A Gerbera cultivation
Newly cultivated Roses
Seed bed of Gerbara
N
uwara Eliya is most famous for its cool climate, which is ideal for certain types of vegetables and fruits. The first vegetable farm here, was established by Sir Thomas Baker, named Bakers Farm. In addition, Nuwara Eliya and adjoining areas such as Haldumulla, Bandarawela, Welimada and Boralanda are also famous for its cut flower cultivation. Most of polytunnels, tunnels made of polyethylene that allow fruits and vegetables to be grown at times usually considered off season, seen in Nuwara Eliya are used for cut flower cultivation. Cut flowers are used for religious festivals and for other cultural festivals. Sri Lankans have a history of growing flowers from historic times to supply for religious festivals. However, it was in 1970 that cut flower cultivation became an organized industry in Sri Lanka and over the years it has become a source of considerable foreign income. Carnations and roses are the most exported flowers while anthuriums, orchids, chrysanthemums are also popular. THE MOST POPULAR FLOWERS Carnations, have a range of colors, from yellow to pink and are grown under polytunnels, with special care. Roses are second to carnation as a cut flower and most popular colors are red, pink, yellow, white and some bi-color varities. Anthurium is also a popular tropical cut flower. Anthurium flower lasts about 30 days and can be propagated by stem cutting, auxiliary shoots, from suckers or by tissue culture. Anthurium is a tropical plant that needs a lot of moisture. It also needs a lot of shade. Anthuriums do not produce good quality flowers when grown in open. An Anthurium flower is ready for harvesting between 8 to 12 days after the flower bud has unfurled. Then they are packed in cardboard boxes, after each flower is draped in paper or polythene bags. Gerberas are also popular among flower cultivators. Gerbera has a variety of colors and seed plants are produced by modern breeding technology and tissue culture. Gerberas are grown in polytunnels. Generally gerberas are grown in 1.5 to 2 feet high beds from the ground. Before planting gerberas disinfection of the soil is very important. After planting, N.P.K. fertilizers are widely used and spraying pesticides and fungicides are also essential. Gerberas are produced flowers after 7 to 8 weeks after planting. Chrysanthemums, baby’s breath, super daisies, asters, blue lady are also popular cut flowers. Flower cultivation is done under green house conditions, in polytunnels or netting. And some anthuriums are grown under shades of trees. WHAT DO PLANTERS LOOK IN CUT FLOWERS? 1. Appearance and beauty of the cut flower 2. Fragrance of the cut flower 3. Long stem of the cut flower 4. Life after cutting the flower Some large scale cut flower cultivators collaborate with foreign partners with highly advanced technology. But, small scale cultivators do not have that access. When flowers are cut from the plant it is quickly kept in water to prevent wilting. Commercial floral preservations, a mixture of sucrose and acidifiers, are also used. Commercial floral preservation will slow down the growth of microorganism. Then the cut flowers are carefully places for transport. (Special thanks to, Mr. Nalin Suriyage – UVA GREEN HOUSE - Mobile: 077 3443444, Mr. Jayantha Ekanayake – ASHEN ROSES – Mobile: 077 4881000, Mr. Harsha Ramanayake – SHAHAS FLORA – Mobile: 077 8055558, Mr. Sujeewa Hettiarchchi – HSW FLORA – Mobile: 077 7032800).
APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 27
Babies Breath
Anwill's park
Anthurium
Roses
Roses
Doubble Delight
Kusum
Rapido
Danthers
Danthers
Danthers
Danthers
Danthers
Danthers
Spider Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 29
Roses
Chrysanthemum
Gerbara
Carnation
Astras
Super daises
Super daises (kept in water)
Blue lady (kept in water)
A Carnation cultivation
Amali
Gerbara Flower arrangement
Ivy
A Gerbara Cultivation 30 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • APRIL - MAY 2014
HERITAGE
Nuwarakanda Raja MahaViharaya Significance A refuge of King Walagamba during the CHOLA invasion Activities Archeology, hiking, pilgrimage and photography Text and Pics. by courtesy of Sri Lanka Tourism APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 31
H
idden amidst a forest covering of Nuwarakanda Mountain, the Nuwarakanda Raja MahaViharaya, had been a monastery since the third century BC, when it was built by a provincial king on the order of King Devanampiyatissa to host 32 arhants, who were seeking a quitter abode away from the hustle of Anuradhapura. However the monastery shot into significance after arhant MahaTissa, a meditating monk at the hermitage,offered refuge to the fleeing king of Anuradhapura, King Walagamba at the monastery ground. The King, who was evading the Chola invaders had made Nuwarakanda his home for 12 years, living a secret life while strengthening his armies, making political allies and collecting weapons to fight back the invaders.
Garciniagummi-gutta, locallyknown as goraka and are under the attack of termites and treasure hunters. The remnants of the ancient monastery lie scattered around the temple ground with the top of the ancient stupa and pieces of stone pillars littering the ground. A larger part of the monastery too remain covered by the forest yet to be uncovered while the old image house with its murals belonging to the Polonnaruwa era is being destroyed by time and weather. An ancient stone paddy store carved out of the single stone equipped with a secret latch to open the bottom too adds to the mysteries of Nuwarakanda, a temple filled with artifacts waiting to be discovered and linked together to tell along lost story of Malaya Kingdom.
The temple still holds remains of the King’s pursuits with one cave known as "Nagul Geya" being identified as a weapon store while another cave contains a tunnel, which interconnected with many strategic points in and around Kurunegala. The King’s niece had been born and bred at the temple later marrying the son of a provincial leader, adding to the king’s political alliance. Following the King Walagamba’s return to Anuradhapura he had added to the glory of the monastery, expanding it all over the mountain. According to the records the King had repaired the old 32 drip-ledged caves while building an image house as well as a new stupa, while repairing its old Stupa, which is believed to be the third oldest stupa in the country. However the oldest stupa of the monastery built in the third century BC akin to the model of the Sanchi Stupa, had been long lost to the weather and plunder while the relatively new stupa still remain, renovated by a series of Kings which followed King Walagamba. The temple had also undergone renovations in the Kandyan Era and the construction of a new image house is still found suspended half way. Its Buddha images half-finished and forgotten, provides a valuable clue to the statue crafting technology of yesteryears. The statues had been built by a mixture made with rice husks, clay, coconut water and the juice of 32 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • APRIL - MAY 2014
APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 33
AGRO
All fresh VEGETABLE
A
at bargain prices
lthough it is the rainy season for the up country making the highways of Haputhale Bandarawela and Nuwara-Eliya wet and misty again, the small scale farming community in the area are much happier and pleased to welcome visitors from all over the country to buy their fresh home garden yield at bargain prices.
Travelers can now stop at the way side stalls to buy a variety of fresh vegetables just picked from the farmer families' home gardens at a much reduced price than from any nearby suburb. On the way, young boys who will run up to your vehicle while it slows down or when you are about to stop it, sell the newly picked handfuls of fresh yield at a bargain price you are pleased to buy even without asking for the balance in return. The following pictorial record along the up country highways recently speaks of several moments of way side business along the highway via Bandarawela to Haputhale.
Haputhale highway
Misty Haputhale suburbs at a distance APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 37
Fresh Vegetables at a way-side stall
Let's bargain
A closer look at all fresh, green vegetables at a way-side stall
Small children and travelers stopped at a way-side stall 38 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • APRIL - MAY 2014
Engaged young in family business
fleshy yellow and decorative green combination in the for-front
Carrots and green leaves for the youthful skin
fresh and washed smooth APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 39
FRUITY
The Red Tunnels
Strawberry farm in Meepilimana By Rathindra Kuruwita
A
sk anyone what they want from Nuwara Eliya and most of them would say ‘bring me strawberries’. In recent times a lot of new restaurants have opened up in Nuwara Eliya to cater to those visitors who feel their trip is not complete without tasting some fresh strawberries or food that incorporate strawberries. However, there are only a few places where a person a can take a tour of the strawberry farms, although most visitors would love to do so. Sri Lanka the Treasure Island visited one of the few farms that allow outsiders in during our visit to Nuwara Eliya at the zenith of the season. Although we knew that there were some farms which allowed visitors in, there was virtually nothing on the internet and the best our friends could say was that they ‘recall’ a farm around the Meepilimana Reservoir. So when we started our journey along the Nuwara Eliya – Pattipola road we didn’t have much hope of finding a strawberry farm, however after a few kilometers along the road we saw a large sign marking the entrance to the farm. The farm not only has strawberries but also vegetables and the section where the vegetables are planted is massive and strawberries are planted in a few polytunnels in the middle of a massive field. The road towards the farm is steep and jagged. It’s almost impossible for you to take your car on the road, unless it’s an off-road vehicle or you don’t mind serious repairs, and getting there by foot would be time consuming and difficult. But luckily the farm management had thought of this and has arranged an open trailer with seats pulled by a tractor which will take the visitors around the farm at a very reasonable fee, around 60 rupees. During the bumpy journey down the trail you come across large potato, carrot, cabbage and other vegetable fields. There is also a nice view of the wind turbines located close by and misty mountains. The tractor drops you off at the entrance of a few polytunnels and you can go inside and see how strawberries are grown. You are allowed to take photos and even touch the plants. And no, you can’t eat the fruits. “Planting strawberries is not easy. First you plant the ‘mother stock’ that produces plants that will be cut, potted and planted in the polytunnels. The beds in the polytunnels are created with utmost care; we need to think of drainage, proper weed and pest cover and a dipper system for fertigation, the application of fertilizers, soil amendments, or other water-soluble products through an irrigation system. Once the beds are ready and the irrigation systems in place, planting begins. Harvesting starts around two months after planting and from the first yield, harvesting takes place daily. We start plucking at 7 a.m. and we sell what we make at the farm outlet at the entrance. In our farm the strawberries are touched only thrice, from plucking to the final consumer,” said a guide employed by the farm. Strawberry is only planted in Nuwara Eliya, Ohiya and Ragala and not all strawberry farms are open to the public. Thus a visit to this farm and spending an hour or so is highly recommended. Plus the strawberries at the farm outlet are very reasonably priced.
COMFORTS
O
ne of the frequent complaints about hotels in Ella is the small size of the rooms. Many claim that it is the biggest disappointment in their stay in the scenic city, which is a gateway to many of the country’s better known tourist destinations. That is what makes Ella Mount Heaven, with its spacious rooms close to 1000 square feet, and quality service, a welcome addition to the tourist infrastructure in Ella. SPACIOUS LUXURY Consisting of 25 rooms, with two rooms with mini swimming pools, the hotel is built to the side of a steep gorge incorporating the rugged and rocky landscape into its architecture. The public areas of the hotel are decorated with scalloping and Italian style paintings. The rooms are spread across four floors with panoramic views of the surrounding misty mountains; I will be talking more about the views later. While the two pools with mini rooms have been the most talked about aspect of the hotel, with famous travel writer Royston Ellis calling them ‘the most unusual hotel bedrooms in Sri Lanka,’ it is the rooms constructed around protruding rocks that were the most memorable for me. These rooms, as spacious as the rooms with mini pools, make one feel close to nature and give a sense of rustic simplicity despite the luxurious amenities of the room. The open air dining area overlooking the mountains is an excellent place to have a romantic dinner, have a refreshing morning tea enjoying the nature or to have a cool beer with your friends. “Each room has Wi-Fi and a flat screen TV. The furniture is luxurious and comfortable. Our rooms are spacious and that’s something everyone comments about. When I visited Ella, as a visitor, I was quite annoyed by the size of the rooms. So when I built this hotel I wanted to address that. In all the hotels I have built and managed, I have always tried to rectify any bad impressions foreigners, and even locals, had on our tourist infrastructure,” said Mr. Upali Ranasinghe, the architect and owner of the hotel. Ranasinghe who had planned, built and managed two hotels in the past, Haldummulla Mount Field Cottage and Halpe Mount Field Cottage, has always incorporated nature into his buildings. “I don’t like to harm nature, that’s why I have built the hotel around the rocks. My two previous hotels were not in areas known for tourism but after a
Ella
Mount
Heaven to be one with nature By Rathindra Kuruwita
APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 43
while I was able to attract visitors and travel agents because of the unique architecture and the quality of service. Although I only started work on Ella Mount Heaven only in 2012, I had an eye on the location for almost a decade,” he said. THE CENTRE OF EVERYWHERE The hotel is also famous for its fine cuisine and has separate chefs to produce different varieties of food. Ingredients used for cooking is of the best quality and some of the vegetables and fruits are taken from the hotel’s own garden. “There are 25 staff members and we have separate chefs to make Thai, Chinese, and local cuisine. We also have a separate chef for soups and desserts. We have a 15 acre land and we have planted bananas, carrots, beans, pak choi, coriander and many other fruits and vegetables in the garden so that the ingredients remain fresh,” said Managing Director of Ella Mount Heaven, Mr. R A Danushka Lakmal. He added that the surrounding misty mountains, the bird and butterfly trails through the hills and baths at nearby Kirindi Oya have made the hotel popular and that the positive word of mouth publicity has brought a large number of guests. “Through the glass wall of your room or from your balcony you can observe the misty mountains including the Little Adam’s Peak. A guest can also take one of the many trails across the mountains and can bathe in the nearby Kirindi Oya. In addition we are close to almost all tourist locations in the region and Ella is a nice spot to spend a night before completing the long journey. We are only 2 kilometres away from Ravana falls and 1.5 kilometres from Ravana cave. Badulla is 35 minutes away and Nuwara Eliya is 2 hours away. One can even reach Hambantota port in about 2 hours,” the Managing Director said. WHAT’S IN STORE? The owners of the hotel plan to open a new reception hall in the top-most floor that can accommodate 350 persons. Mr. Lakmal said that although they had not yet unveiled the reception hall, the scenic beauty of the surroundings and its reputation for quality had ensured that they had already received reservations. “The hotel is beautifully located and the service is excellent. We will ensure that these functions do not affect the privacy and tranquility of guests who are here to relax and be one with the nature,” Lakmal said.
DEVELOPING STORY
IMPROVING
PRODUCTIVITY VITAL FOR
TOURISM By Santhush Fernando
"
Sri Lanka must improve its human resource in order to increase efficiency and productivity if the Indian Ocean Island economy was to become a world-class destination in the highly competitive hospitality industry", emphasizes Prabath Fonseka, the mastermind behind Mirage - Colombo’s newest city hotel situated in a ocean-front location in Wellawatte.
HERE ARE EXCERPTS OF HIS INTERVIEW: Q: Could you give brief introduction about your background as an entrepreneur and what made you venture into tourism? A: I have 25 years experience in the manufacture of veterinary pharmaceuticals and in fact I am the very first such manufacturer in the country. I later on expanded into cereal food manufacturing. After the war I was looking out for opportunities in diversifying my business and as a Sri Lankan who strongly believed that I must become a part in the development and in a bid to help the economy of Sri Lanka, ventured into tourism. I believed that I must start a city hotel in Colombo. Since I did not wish to operate a budget hotel and so we came up with this leisure cum business property as we have an ocean view frontage.
Q: What does Mirage offer to its guests and how is it different from other city hotels?
recruiters who patronize our hotel.
A: We have built very spacious rooms with deluxe rooms offering an unprecedented 400 square feet space along with the best fittings for all rooms. Although this is four-star, we have equipped this to five-star standards. Out of the 50 rooms we have 25 each of deluxe and standard, five family rooms and four suites. Planetarium is our rooftop restaurant, whilst we also have the Aquarium Bar, Platinum Restaurant and a banquet hall. Then we have an Infinity Pool. Our prices range from US$ 75 onwards.
A: Sri Lanka has a huge potential because the country has a lot to offer. We have a conducive weather, lots of historical places, beautiful locations, wild life and nature, and very hospitable and friendly people everywhere.
Our team is headed by experienced hotelier – Ronald Perera whilst wellknown Chef Lloyd Opatha heads our culinary team. We always try to promote
healthy foods from a brain tonic gotukola , to Cinnamon Tea which is very good for diabetes. Q: What are the USPs (Unique Selling Propositions) that make Mirage to stand out from the rest? A: All I want is to get the blessings of the customer. We just don’t want to make the customer happy but we want to get their blessings and make them to return to this property. So we give the best value of money. We have many repeaters clients – many business travelers ranging from expats to medical tourists to employment
Q: What are Sri Lanka’s prospects in the hospitality sector?
However, although we talk about investment we don’t have a dynamic workforce. Our biggest challenge is to transform our human resource into a very dynamic staff. Unfortunately, they are not self-starters. We talk about beauty and investments coming in but whose going to run these hotels if we don’t have adequate human resources? We want to beat this challenge and still be the best hotel in Colombo.
our youth to enter tourism by publicizing the various opportunities available in tourism. I never had training in hospitality and I have been in business only for three months now. Hotel school output is not enough. Course content too must be updated and modernized. Our main problem is that we employ two workers per room. We have to improve productivity and
Our only challenge is get our staff properly trained. And of course we must ensure road discipline, prevent communicable diseases like dengue and assure safety of tourists. We are counting heavily on tourism as we must look into that. Q: Do you think we need more hotel schools? A: We do need more professional institutions and students must look into new opportunities created in the tourism sector. Nowadays I see students opting for IT or management accounting or management just like a fad. The government must encourage
not load the hotel with people. If you go to Singapore or Europe a 100 room hotel is run by just 30 staff personnel. Hotels must improve productivity and efficiency. My standard is one employee per room. I know of a 55-room hotel run by a Sri Lankan in Holland, which has just 14
MARCH 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 49
employees. His wife is the receptionist, and her husband who is also the owner does janitorial work, and the daughter looks after accounts. He has only four housekeepers one for each floor. Q: What would be the benefits of removing overheads? A: That’s the only way for us to increase income levels of our staff. For instance, let us say we earn a service charge of Rupees one million. If we have just
I started my career with Prima under Singaporeans so I always follow their model. I have travelled widely nearly ten times to Europe and I promote how they work. Unfortunately' a Sri Lankan who learns this in Italy does not practice this in Sri Lanka.
Sometimes our people are like frogs in the well. There’s a 500-room hotel in Colombo which has close to 1,500 employees. At that rate, they can never make profits. This is the main reason why we can’t compete with other countries. Lack of focus, low productivity, and drawbacks in the quality of service. In Thailand a four-star hotel room can be purchased for US$ 60 whereas in Sri Lanka even if we sell for US$ 150 we can't become profitable. Not that we can't make profits by running at US$ 60, its possible. But you must challenge and motivate your human resources to achieve that.
Hotel schools must focus on improving efficiency, productivity and also a proper methodology. Why do we have a very productive and efficient garment industry which has survived so far? Because they have a methodology. But in hotel industry we don’t have a proper methodology. If you engaged in cutting you must do that only. If you do washing you must do that. I have instructed my staff to work out an operation line similar to an assembly line of a systemized factory. and CHAIRMAN if we do not boost efficiency PRABATH FONSEKA accurately we will further remain as a country that has the lowest productivity levels in the world. Q: So what is the way out? A: We must change our mentality. Most of our hotel school lecturers are oldfashioned, have not seen modern industry and are unwilling to change. They should see beyond their industries. They all have the same mindset.
CEO RONALD PERERA
I always tell my staff to learn from a 'Saiwar' boutique. Once you go in, a waiter comes and inquires ‘what do you want sir?’ Even before you order they bring you the water. But when you go to a restaurant you have to wait for hours for the staff to bring you what you order. So by the time they bring your food you have lost your appetite. Mudalaalis of these 'saiwar' shops must let teach at these hotel schools. They don’t wear coats or ties but they deliver a good service. These people are not educated at any hotel school but they know the importance of service. 25 employees, each will get close to Rupees 40,000 but if we have 100 employees each worker would get only Rs. 10,000. That is why I say always be productive. In my perspective a Sri Lankan hotel employee actually works only two hours out of the eight hour shift a day.
If a guest is hungry and you delay to bring his or her food, you cannot satisfy even if you present them with gold. If any of my staff says he does not get tips I tell them that is because you don’t serve them well. You don’t give a proper service; I blame them. A tip is a measurement of customer satisfaction.
50 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • APRIL - MAY 2014
Take a passenger bus for instance. In Sri Lanka, we have a driver and a conductor to run a bus whereas in most Western countries they have only the driver who doubles also as the conductor by charging the bus fare. If you take a lorry or truck in Sri Lanka, you are mandated to take another person or ‘cleaner’. If you don’t you may be fined, by law. So I see this as an instance, where the law promotes lethargy and complacency. Q: What are your future plans?
A: In future we might branch out on the success of this hotel. We are looking at a location near Katunayake for another city hotel and may later on go for another resort-type property, that is if we are able to build good managers. Sri Lanka’s biggest challenge as I said before is that you cant find quality staff. So we are hell bent in training our staff. Outcome is extremely positive as we have recorded profits from day one. Occupancy is over 50%, sometimes it had been over 80% and this is without any effort to market. My motto is to make the customer happy and business will just come to you. According to even Lord Buddha, for a business to be profitable you need three ingredients, namely, industry insight, blessings of customers and blessings of employees. If you go to Agoda we have good reviews, some of which have rated us as ‘Excellent’ with an 80 plus rating across all categories.
UPCOMING
MIDDLE EAST-BEST WESTERN PLUS Sand Rose Suite Hotel, Saudi Arabia Elyon Colombo- Best Western project
Best Western Lays Foundations in Sri Lanka
”
“ B
The recent economic boom has seen Sri Lanka develop rapidly – says Glenn de Souza VP Best Western’s International Operations for Asia & ME Text by Harsha Udayakantha Peiris
est Western International is embarking on a major expansion strategy in one of Asia’s most exciting emerging markets - Sri Lanka. Best Western International is 'THE WORLD'S LARGEST HOTEL CHAIN, comprising more than 4,000, independently owned and operated hotels in 100, countries and territories worldwide. Offering three distinct brand levels - midscale BEST WESTERN, upscale BEST WESTERN PLUS and luxury BEST WESTERN PREMIER - the company is able to cater for the needs of any business or leisure traveler. Best Western first launched in Asia & the Middle East in 2001 and now covers 27, countries in the region. For hotel owners, Best Western offers a broad range of operational support, including sales, marketing and distribution, with online, mobile and social media booking capabilities. The award-winning Best Western Rewards guest loyalty program also has 15 million members. This year, the company, which operates more than 4,000 hotels worldwide, will plant its flag in Sri Lanka for the first time in its 68year history.
BEST WESTERN PREMIER Amaranth Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thailand-Swimming Pool
Best Western International and local conglomerate Elyon Hotels have signed a development partnership to spread the famous Best Western logo across the country, offering hospitality management expertise to existing and proposed hotels island-wide. The inaugural property to be launched this summer will be the 60room BEST WESTERN Elyon Colombo hotel, bringing the company’s world famous attributes of comfort, convenience and service excellence to the Sri Lankan capital for the very first time. The introductory launch of the Best Western International partnered with Elyon Hotels was held recently at the Cinnamon Grand in Colombo. APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 51
Expressing views at the occasion Glenn de Souza – Vice President International Operations, Asia & the Middle East of the Best Western International stated that the alliance would lead to the development of multiple new Best Western hotels across the country in the coming years. BEST WESTERN PREMIER Dua Sentral, Malaysia-Guest room
BEST WESTERN Niagara Hotel, South Korea-Guest Bedroom
“Sri Lanka is one of most exciting upand-coming destinations in the world right now. This is reflected by the substantial rise in international visitor arrivals Sri Lanka has experienced in recent years. Having reached the milestone of one million overseas visitors for the first time in 2012, Sri Lanka is now expecting to welcome 1.5 million international arrivals in 2014. This marks a 50 percent increase in just two years! Sri Lanka’s tourism revenues are growing by approximately 25 percent per year. Few other countries can match such strong rates of growth. It is no surprise that visitors are flocking to Sri Lanka. This beautiful island is blessed with an incredible array of attractions, beautiful stretches of golden beach lush green jungles, complemented by a warm and welcoming culture and fine cuisine, Sri Lankahas all it takes to attract international leisure travellers. With an economy expected to grow at a rate of almost eight percent in 2014 - similar to that of China and faster than India –this thriving tourist destination is also becoming an increasingly attractive business hub,” he said.
BEST WESTERN Hotel Fino Oita-Japan-Guest room
Adding further he stated that the need for new, quality, internationally-branded hotels will be in greater demandas travelers flock to Sri Lanka in ever increasing numbers.
BEST WESTERN PREMIER Hotel Nagasaki-Japan-Restaurant
“The recent economic boom following the end of three decades of war has seen Sri Lanka develop rapidly.
BEST WESTERN Samui Bayview Resort, Thailand-Guest room 52 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • APRIL - MAY 2014
Driven by strong interest from India, China, the Middle East and Europe, international visitor arrivals to Sri Lanka have been growing exponentially in recent years, reaching one million for the first time in 2012. This is expected to reach 1.5 million visitors in 2014, and as an international hotelier, Best Western has a duty to provide to this soaring number of travelers with quality accommodation options. I am delighted that we have formed a
BEST WESTERN PREMIER Sukhumvit, Bangkok, Thailand
partnership with such a well-respected company as Elyon Hotels, and I am confident of building a nationwide portfolio of Best Western hotels in Sri Lanka,” Mr. de Souza added.
Glenn de Souza Vice President International Operations, Asia & the Middle East of the Best Western International
The property in Colombo will be a charming city hotel with amenities including an all-day dining restaurant, specialty restaurant, a bar, room service, fitness center and meeting. And like all Best Western hotels across the world, it will offer complimentary Wi-Fi to all guests. The 60 rooms here will be light, modern and well-equipped, and all guests will be offered complimentary Wi-Fi, allowing them to keep in touch with their home or office, as soon as they check-in. Our range of facilities, including an excellent restaurant, will ensure guests have everything they need, under one roof. The launch of the BEST WESTERN Elyon Colombo marks just the start of its Sri Lankan adventure. In partnership with Elyon Hotels, the company will work together to identify opportunities for a collection of new midscale, upscale and luxury hotels across multiple locations in Sri Lanka. This could include additional hotels in Colombo or new locations in other key leisure and business destinations. The opening will also mark the start of a major nationwide expansion for Best Western in Sri Lanka. Under the new agreement, Elyon Hotels will identify opportunities for new midscale and upscale hotels across the country. These are likely to include locations in the capital Colombo, or other key leisure and business destinations such as Kandy, Mirrisa and Tangalle. The initial target for the next three years is to have four more hotels with a portfolio of approximately 400 rooms develop, which is then expected to rise to 700 rooms within five years. Best Western’s Vice President of International Operations for Asia & the Middle East, Glenn de Souza also said he was excited by the opportunities in Sri Lanka.
Glenn de Souza – Vice President International Operations, Asia & the Middle East of the Best Western International, Presantha Jayamaha, Managing Director of Elyon Hotels, Nilantha Rupasinghe - General Manager - BEST WESTERN Elyon Colombo,Paul Suvodip - Regional Manager, Revenue and Marketing Services, Asia & the Middle East for Best Western Internationaland Khalid Raghab - Director Operations, Best Western International, Asia and the Middle East at the launch at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo
BEST WESTERN PREMIER Dua Sentral, Malaysia-Presidential Suite
Commenting on this landmark agreement, Presantha Jayamaha, Managing Director of Elyon Hotels said, that tourism infrastructure development in Sri Lanka was seeing fast-paced growth and the company was excited to be a part of these emerging growth opportunities. APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 53
“We, at Elyon Hotels, strongly believe that partnering an exceptional hospitality brand such as Best Western will enable us to provide exceptional tailored service standards to the discerning travelers to this paradise island. This partnership with Best Western will also open up a whole new traveler market into Sri Lanka, due to the vast brand recognition and loyalty card membership (more than 20 million members worldwide) enjoyed by this global brand. I am personally very excited about the potential of Best Western to enhance the tourism industry in Sri Lanka,” Mr. Jayamaha added. Through its expansion Best Western and Elyon Hotels will also be providing new employment opportunities for Sri Lankan citizens. In Colombo Through its global training programs, the company will upgrade the skill and knowledge of these employees, allowing them to advance to higher positions and train the next generation of Sri Lankan hospitality professionals.
BEST WESTERN Phanganburi Resort, Thailand-Sunset
The new Sri Lankan properties will form part of a portfolio of approximately 200 Best Western hotels and resorts across Asia and the Middle East, and join the family of more than 4,000 hotels across the world. Nilantha Rupasinghe - General Manager - BEST WESTERN Elyon Colombo,Paul Suvodip - Regional Manager, Revenue and Marketing Services, Asia & the Middle East for Best Western Internationaland Khalid Raghab - Director Operations, Best Western International, Asia and the Middle East were also present at the introductory launch of the Elyon Hotels of the Best Wetern International in Sri Lanka. BEST WESTERN Borocay Tropics Resort, Philippines-Swimming Pool
BEST WESTERN Suites & Sweet Resort Angkor, Cambodia-Exteriior night view 54 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • APRIL - MAY 2014
BEST WESTERN PREMIER Sukhumvit, Bangkok, Thailand
LEISURE
A Celebration of Unity
Sinhala & Tamil New year in Germany
A
n excellent event was organized by the consulate General of Sri Lanka in Frankfurt, Germany to celebrate the Sinhala and Tamil New Year on 20th April at Zeppelinheim Sports Grounds, Neu-Isanburg with the participation and support of Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, German and other nationalities. The Chief Guest for the event was H.E. Sarath Kongahage the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Germany, on the invitation of Pradip Jayewardene, Consul General of Sri Lanka in Frankfurt, Germany. The event commenced with the hoisting of the National Flag and the National Anthem. The event comprised of the traditional boiling of milk, traditional breakfast and continued with customary Sinhala and Tamil New Year games late into the evening. The participants were delighted with the Avurudu Tea table which consisted of oil cakes, milk rice and other Sri Lankan sweets rarely seen in Germany. A sumptuous Sri Lankan lunch was provided and hoppers, Vade, Kottu and other Sri Lankan fast foods were available in the evening. Sri Lanka tea was available throughout the day.
56 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • APRIL - MAY 2014
'Avurudu Kumari Pageant' (the New Year Queen contest) was the most colorful event of the day with contestants from Sinhala, Tamil and German nationalities. The winners of all events received attractive prizes thanks to generous support from sponsors, a Srilankan airlines ticket, gift vouchers for Ayurvedic treatments, free accommodation in both Sri Lanka and Frankfurt Hotels being the top prizes. This event was a unique experience to many German participants who experienced Sri Lankan culture and revelry for the first time. H.E. Sarath Kongahage the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Germany addressed the gathering. While wishing all participants for the New Year, he used the opportunity to say farewell to the Sri Lankan community and wish them all success in the future.
The New Year Queens pause for a photograph with the Consul General Pradip Jayewardene
A part of the participants at the event
New year festival Frankfurt 2014
Consul General Pradip Jayewardene, thanked the Sri Lankan community and all nationalities for their participation to make the event a success. Further, he pointed out that these types of events were necessary to retain our customs and pass them on to the next generation. The Consul General appreciated the friendship between Sinhala and Tamil communities in Frankfurt and expressed his hope of an enduring friendship. He also requested them to stay in contact with the Consulate General office. He thanked the sponsor’s and the individuals who gave their unstinted support to make this event a success.
The lime on the spoon contest
H.E. Sarath Kongahage - the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Germany with the Consul General Pradip Jayewardene opening the New year Tea Table
H.E. Sarath Kongahage - the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Germany with the Consul General Pradip Jayewardene at the event
Children at the contest of eating buns APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 57
CULTURE
O
Escondite The perfect hideout in Colombo
ne of Sri Lanka’s newest companies to venture into the thriving tourism business – Asia Orient Leisure (Pvt) Ltd recently opened its flagship property – the Escondite, in the suburbs of bustling Sri Jayawardenepura and is keen on investing nearly Rs 400 million for its venture, mastermind behind the Company, wellknown architect Rukshan Waidyalankara said. “Tourists nowadays look for new options and choices” The six-roomed Escondite, with two family suites offers privacy and relaxation in its cozy, eco - friendly boutique hotel type ambience to the discerning travellers. “This is our first property which means ‘hideout’ in Spanish. Although this offers a very private boutique experience all modern facilities are available here. We will not be having any big functions here that will disturb the neighbouring residents but we are keen t offer this for weddings, for foreign couples who desire a more private experience,” he added. “Entire investment for this was around Rs 125 million and we funded this partly with bank borrowings. The rooms are offered at US$ 80, 120, and 195. We will be operating a Spa and a Swimming Pool. We hope to break even in five years,” Waidyalankara said. “At the moment we depend on the tour operators. Feedback was exceptionally good. Nowadays high-end travelers are looking out for this type of secluded experiences where you can come, relax with no interference from any outside party whatsoever,” General Manager Winston de Olivera said. “What we have introduced here is a unique concept with no set timetable. Anyone who wants have breakfast at one in the afternoon or dinner at two in the night would be welcome to do so. So this is a home away from home. It’s a personalized experienced and all our five staff members are multi-skilled and multi-tasking. We arrange air port pick-up and drop and any other trips in between.” “Sri Jayawardenepura which is the current administrative capital in Sri Lanka, was also the capital during the days of the Sinhalese kings six to four centuries ago. “It has many attractions to offer from ancient ruins to fishing to boating. In 'Ananda Shastralaya' in Kotte there had been ancient tunnel used by kings. Since we need to ensure that there would not be any disturbances we would not be offering to like young groups but we are open to selected expata, honeymooners and also to corporates,” he added. “The 10-roomed eco- friendly second property of Asia Orient Leisure Ltd will be opened March 2015 on the top of a big rock in Belummahara, Kadugannawa with a total investment of around Rs 200 million. The third property will be a six-roomed boutique hotel in Kandy with an investment of Rs 75 million, which will be opened by January 2015,” Waidyalankara said. 58 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • APRIL - MAY 2014
APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 59
PICTORIAL
Season of A
fun in
Nuwara eliya
pril has always been a time of celebration in Nuwara Eliya. Flowers are in bloom, visitors from all parts of the country arrive to relax and celebrate, there are horse and motor races and partying on the streets. The horse races that culminates with the Governor’s Cup, Radella and Mahagastota Hill Climbs organized by Sri Lanka Association for Racing Drivers and Riders (SLARDAR) and Motor Sports Club, the Gold tournament for gents and ladies and the flower show have traditionally been the main attractions of the season. However with the increasing popularity of motor races there is increased presence of motorists showing off their expensively modified vehicles. Sri Lanka the Treasure Island team was in Nuwaraeliya and Bandarawela at the zenith of the Nuwaraeliya season to capture the spirit of the season and this pictorial is not only a celebration of what Nuwaraeliya season is known for, i.e the flowers and the horse racing and the well dressed, but also the changing face of the city and aspects of celebrations.
Pics. by Maheesha Mindula
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APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 61
NATURE
Horton Plains From a Hunting Ground to a Tourism Hotspot Text and Pics by Indaka Karunadasa
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orton Plains lies in the Central highlands in Sri Lanka, 32 km from Nuwara Eliya. At 2535 meters (1500 m to 2524 m) above sea level, it is the highest plateau in Sri Lanka. Before the British era Horton Plains was named “Maha eliya” (the great open plain). A British Tea planter Thomas Farr discovered the potential of the area as a gaming hub in the beginning of 19th century and named it after the British governor Sir Robert Wilbert Horton, who governed Sri Lanka from 1831 to 1837. The British used the plains as a gaming reserve after Thomas Farr and H. Anderson, who resided near the Horton plains, popularized it. Later the British prohibited cutting of forests above the altitude of 5000 feet in Sri Lanka. The extent of Horton Plains is 3159.8 hectares and the annual temperature is about 13 centigrades. Horton Plains gets rain from north-western monsoon and the average rain fall is 5000 mm. Near the Horton Plains are the Kirigalpoththa Mountain and Thotupola Kanda Mountain. Kirigalpoththa is Sri Lanka’s second highest mountain with a height of 2393 meters. Thotupola kanda is the third highest mountain and it is 2359 meters high. In addition Mahaweli River, Kelani River and Walawe River start from Horton Plains. In 1969 Horton Plains was named a biodiversity area. In 1988 it was named Sri Lanka’s first environmental friendly biodiversity area and in August 2010, a part of the Horton plains was named a “Mixed cultural and Natural Heritage Site”. While entering into the Horton Plains one can see violet Binara flowers (Exacum trinerveum triverveum) and Dwarf Bamboo (Arundinaria densifolia) endemic to Sri Lanka and found only in Horton plains. One can also see giant fern trees, and Maha Ratmal (Rhododendron arboretum). Horton Plains has vegetations that belong to upper mountain rain forests, cloud forests and wet patana grasslands. In between mountain rain forests and cloud forests there’s a narrow stretch of transition zone named “Ecotones”. 1236 hectares of the Horton Plains are covered with cloud forests. There are 45 hectares of Ecotones, 168 hectares covered with grasslands with dwarf bamboo (Arundinaria densifolia), which is endemic to Sri Lanka, Tussock grass and other grasses.
Vegetation cover of the Horton plains APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 63
Between 1960 and 1977 the government of Sri Lanka started to grow potatoes in Horton plains. Due to this, natural vegetation of the Horton plains as well as soil was greatly degraded. Latter this was abandoned by the government after realizing the ecological damage.
Plains Visitors Information Center.
There are 63 plants that are endemic to Sri Lanka in the plains. There are 14 species of amphibians, 52 endemic birds to Sri Lanka, one endemic fish variety and 11 other migrant bird species and Sambar deer, mountain mouse deer (Tragulus meninna) leopards, bear-monkey, giant squirrels, wild cats and wild boars are abundant in this area. According to ancient documents, elephants also lived in these plains.
3. Baker’s waterfall trail
A FEW LANDMARKS OF HORTON PLAINS Baker’s waterfall
In the Horton plains there are four major trails 1. Kirigalpoththa mountain nature trail 2. Thotupala kanda mountain nature trail 4. World’s end trail The Kirigalpoththa Nature Trail As the name suggests Kirigalpoththa nature trail ends at the Kirigalpoththa Mountain, which is the second highest mountain in Sri Lanka. The trail is about 5 ½ km to 7 km from the main entrance to the Horton National park. It will take 3 to 4 hours to reach Kirgalpoththa Mountain. Kirigalpoththa nature trail starts behind Farr Inn, now the Horton Plains Visitor Information Centre.
Baker’s waterfall is created by Belihul oya which is a tributary of Walawe River. It is 20 meters high. This water fall was discovered by Sir Samuel Baker. The waterfall was named after him. . “Y” junction Y junction is 500 meters away from the main entrance and it divides the path into two trails. One falls towards the Baker’s falls and other towards Small World's End. World’s End drop World’s end drop has two cliffs. These two cliffs are named Small World's End and Big World’s end. Small World's End Drop It takes about 25 minutes to reach Small World's End Drop from the Y junction, about 2.25 km away from the y junction. Small world’s end drop escarpment is about 274 meters. And one can see a gorgeous view of lowlands below on a very clear day. Big World’s End Drop 1.75 km away from the Small World's End is the Big World's End Drop. The Big World's End Drop escarpment is about 884 meters. From here one can see Samanalawewa reservoir, Nonperial estate and Rakwana hills. Farr Inn / Horton Plain Visitor information centre Farr inn was built by the British planter Sir Thomas Farr as his private lodge in Horton plains in 1900. He was very fond of hunting in the Horton Plains. Today the Farr Inn lodge is used as the Horton
Chimney Pool
64 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • APRIL - MAY 2014
A view from Small world’s end
Creepers
Farr Inn, now Hortain plains Visitor Information Centre
A lizard
Inside the Farr Inn / Visitor Information Centre
Bovitiya
31 km stone on B508 road at the Horton Plains A wild flower
Binara flower
Maha Ratmal
Thotupala Kanda Nature Trail Thotupala kanda nature trail ends from the Thotupala kanda, which is the third highest mountain in Sri Lanka. The trail is between 1.5 to 2 km. Thotupola kanda nature trail starts from the PattipolaOhiya road. Walk about 400m from the Pattipola entrance of the Horton plains towards Ohiya, and then turn left towards cemented steps. Thotupala kanda nature trail runs through a unique mountain forest ecosystem. There are two major entrances to the Horton Plains National park. Northern entrance is from Pattipola, and the Sourthern entrance is from Ohiya. Horton plains can also be reached via railway (train) or by main road. The nearest railway stations are Pattipola and Ohiya. However, from Pattipola its 10.5 km and from Ohiya its 11 km to the main entrance. You can either walk or hire a vehicle or drive your private vehicle because there are no means of public transport. to the main entrance from Pattipola or from Ohiya. (You will be charged an entrance free at the main entrance). There is yet another entrance from Dayagama but it was closed by the Department of Wildlife Conservation at present. (Special thanks to Kasun Rathnayake, Nayana Warnasurira and Gayan Warnasuriya)
Below from the Big World’s End
Rhino-horned lizard 66 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • APRIL - MAY 2014
Big World’s end
Y Junction Baker’s Fall Across a newly built bridge
Dwarf Bamboo
Baker’s trail
APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 67
Badal Hanas – A Endamic plant to Sri Lanka
Giant fern
Kadulessa – A carnivores plant 68 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • APRIL - MAY 2014
Dwarf Bamboo
NEWS
HNB ASSURANCE GOES INTERNATIONAL AT THE ASIA CONFERENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA THE FIRST & ONLY INSURANCE COMPANY IN SRI LANKA TO BE A PART OF THE ASIA CONFERENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA IN AN INTERNATIONAL PLATFORM
Panel Discussion at the conference with Vatsal Asher (CEO, Association for Data Driven Marketing & Advertising, India (DMAi), Jerome Matrundola,(Head of Strategic Initiatives, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, RGA Reinsurance Company Hong Kong and Southeast Asia), Furqan Ahmad(Global Head of Islamic Banking Practice, Financial Services Business Unit, Indra Technology Solutions – Malaysia), Ari Fadyl, (Head of Digital, AXA Indonesia) and Dilshan Perera, Head of Marketing, HNB Assurance PLC - Sri Lanka
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NB Assurance was the only Insurance Company from Sri Lanka that was represented as a panel member for the renowned Asia Conference on Social Media, Social Commerce and Mobile Marketing for Insurance, organized by Asia Insurance Review. The conference was held in Singapore and had Over 75 participants from 12 countries attending the Discussion.
Asia Insurance Review was launched to meet the information needs of insurance practitioners in Asia in particular and the rest of the world in general. It quickly became the premier and comprehensive professional regional magazine and also moved on to organizing the Asia Insurance Industry Award ceremonies, and Insurance-related conferencesto provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and expertise to the region read by all the key decision makers and readers in the insurance industry in Asia from Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, etc. NamalGunawardane, Head of IT of HNB Assurance stated “Marketing in a digital world is becoming increasingly popular. The proliferation of new channels, products, services, and alternative players aredriving insurers to revisit their distribution strategies in order to utilise digital opportunities in closing the gap on customer expectations”. After the insights gatheredat the conference from successful entrepreneurs and experts on Social Media, Dilshan Perera Head of Marketing at HNB Assurance who represented the company for the conference stated “HNB Assurance Facebook fan page is the leading FB page among the Insurance industry in Sri Lanka and stated that being engaged with social media is not enough and Insurance companies must continually find ways to engage their customers. Outlining trends in social media and customer loyalty of Insurance companies,Dilshan Pererafurther stated, “We must take it upon ourselves to reach the possibilities of digital and social media marketing and to reach out to the younger consumers on platforms where they are active. And by reaching out I don’t mean simply having a Facebook page, it should be an integrated unconventional approach making selling more interactive, giving consumers what they want in terms of speed, ease, convenience and ensuring that our message speaks to their phyche- these will be the defining principles of marketing in the future. Focus & consistency is definitely the name of the game” HNB Assurance PLC is one of the fastest growing Insurance Companies in Sri Lanka with a network of 51 branches. HNBA is a composite Insurance company with a rating of A (lka) by Fitch Rating Lanka for “National Insurer Financial Strength Rating” and “National Long- term Rating”. HNBA is also rated within the Top 100 Brands and Top 100 companies in Sri Lanka by LMD and HNB Assurance recently won International awards for Brand Excellence and HR Excellence and also won many awards for its Annual Reports at the Award ceremonies organized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, ACCA Sri Lanka (Association of the Chartered Certified Accountants) and SAFA (South Asian Federation of Accountants) APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 69
SLT RECEIVES FLAGSHIP STATUS FROM BOI
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Mr. Nimal Welgama, Chairman - SLT Group and Dr. Lakshman Jayaweera, Chairman – BOI of Sri Lanka exchanging the multi-million USD ICT investment agreement while Mr. Lalith De Silva, Group CEO of SLT, Mr. Mahesh Athukorale, Company Secretary of SLT (extreme left) and Mr. Upali Mahamithawa, GM - Financial Planning & Investor Relations (behind) looks on.
ri Lanka Telecom (SLT), the flagship national ICT solutions provider and premier broadband services and backbone infrastructure operator is proud to announce that the company has received flagship status from the Board of Investment (BOI) after committing a total investment of USD 415.44 million to undertake telecommunication, information technology, broadband and infrastructure expansion in the country within the next two years. On Wednesday, 23rd April 2014, the company entered into this landmark multi-million USD telecom investment agreement with the BOI; Dr. Lakshman Jayaweera, the Chairman – BOI of Sri Lanka and Mr. Nimal Welgama, the Chairman - SLT Group signing on behalf of the two organizations in the presence of Mr. Lalith De Silva, the Group CEO of SLT.
This investment agreement will encompass the expansion of multi-faceted national ICT infrastructures: Internet Data Centers (IDCs), Voice Services, Enterprise and Wholesale Services, High Speed Broadband Services, Peo TV expansion, Fibre Optic Network expansion, 4G LTE expansion, International Connectivity, Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and Wi-Fi Wireless Broadband projects. The SLT group has invested over USD 1.3 billion in telecommunication service provisioning since coming under the BOI umbrella in 2007, which includes the total value commitment of this new agreement; and the overall investment the group has made throughout its entire 150 year span which is enormous in terms of magnitude. Since obtaining BOI approval in 2007, SLT has invested in excess of Rs. 57 billion/ USD 485 million to improve the country’s telecommunication infrastructure. Mr. Nimal Welgama, the Chairman, SLT Group commented, “Investments made by SLT towards the country for a period of over 150 years have placed Sri Lanka as well as our country’s entire ICT sector at the forefront of the region by facilitating multi-faceted ICT solutions to the nation, and helping to increase its strategic geographical advantage. We are indeed humbled by the confidence placed in us by the GoSL, and BOI.” Dr. Lakshman Jayaweera, the Chairman – BOI of Sri Lanka said, “We are happy to see the initiatives taken by Sri Lanka Telecom to change the techno - landscape of the country, and play a major role as the facilitator of investments into our country and I take my hat off to the SLT team. We need this kind of development to take our country’s economy to USD 100 billion GDP within the next couple of years in line with GoSL’s economic goals. We believe that major development like this will take this country to the next stage of development. This will bring many more benefits in its wake including other indirect investments and more FDI streaming to the country etc. As BOI, we are very glad that we can be the initiators and we are ready to assist Sri Lanka Telecom and any other investor.” Mr. Lalith De Silva, the Group Chief Executive Officer of SLT commented, “As I believe, this is a very important milestone for Sri Lanka Telecom and the entire country. We strive to meet the needs and want of a large private sector, government sector, SMEs & micro businesses as well as individuals and endeavor to provide world class ICT services and technologies which will certainly catalyze national development in the years to come. This new investment planned by SLT to establish the country’s ICT infrastructure will lead towards Sri Lanka being attractive for investments and conducive towards overall economic growth in the future. The company has undertaken to continuously upgrade infrastructure and has extended its reach to ensure convenience and enhancement of lifestyles of our entire nation. We are proud to play this lead role in strengthening the country’s ICT infrastructure to achieve the country’s vision of transforming Sri Lanka into the ‘Wonder of Asia’ with the great support extended to us by the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka.” Soon after the end of the conflict, SLT was at the forefront to rebuild and restore the national telecommunication infrastructure in the cleared areas of the Northern and Eastern provinces of our country. The Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) has entrusted SLT with the task of building the National Telecommunication Backbone Network (NBN) to provide high speed connectivity, with highest redundancy and uninterrupted access to services to all telecommunication service providers in Sri Lanka. With all these endeavors SLT will be a catalyst for change and transformation in Sri Lanka and thereby truly unite the entire nation as ‘one country, one voice’. ABOUT SLT Sri Lanka Telecom PLC is the national ICT solutions provider and premier broadband services and backbone infrastructure operator in the country. SLT is one of the most valuable blue chip companies in Sri Lanka with an annual group turnover in excess of LKR 60 billion and is listed in the Colombo Stock Exchange with a market capitalization topping LKR 66 billion as at 31 December 2013. The SLT Group provides facilities and services that are unmatched in scope and range in voice, data, video and mobile to its domestic and international customers. The government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is the main shareholder of the company holding 49.5% of share value through the Secretary to the Treasury and the Netherlands based conglomerate Global Telecommunications Holdings NV (GTH), as the primary foreign investor owning a 44.98% stake. The balance shares are publicly traded. The Company has been awarded a National Long Term Rating of AAA (lka) and a BB- rating on Long term Local Currency and Foreign Currency by Fitch Ratings, followed by B+ local and foreign currency credit ratings by Standard & Poor’s. 70 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • APRIL - MAY 2014
EARTH HOUR AT THE KINGSBURY
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arth Hour is a worldwide movement for planet earth, organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international nongovernmental organization, working on issues regarding conservation, research and restoration of the environment and actively contributes towards a greener future. Earth Hour is observed worldwide annually encouraging individuals, communities, households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m on the last Saturday in March, as a symbol for their commitment towards preserving a healthier, resourceful, greener planet. It is an initiative that evokes a sense of responsibility in everyone.
The Kingsbury too joined hands to support this worthy cause and took it beyond just that hour of observing energy conservation; and by doing so, proved its allegiance to the environment. A week prior to Earth Hour the Hotel conducted training on recycling paper, the sessions initiated with the senior management and continued with the rest of the staff too. The programme covered areas pertaining to Reduce, Reuse & Recycling, the triple R’s that contribute towards a greener future. The programme also encompassed subjects such as recycling and using dry waste, to ensure minimum wastage. On the 29th of March, Earth Hour was celebrated by The Kingsbury at the Poolside. It also coincided with the launch of the Recycling project of the establishment, with the senior management and staff of the Hotel. The launch ceremony drew attention to not only the concept of Earth Hour, but to poignant issues such as the effects of carbon footprints and the importance of conserving energy. The ceremony continued with the theme of energy conservation through unplugged entertainment and serving of eco mocktails. Mr. and Mrs. Dissanayaka were the chief guests at this event, and the event was graced by members of the Green Team, staff and several guests. The Kingsbury has been popular for its excellent hospitality services. Having won two International Awards, namely the “World Luxury Hotel’ Award, the ‘Wellness and Spa’ Award and the Student Hotel of the Year at the DS Student Brand Awards 2013, the Hotel has already marked its name amongst its discerning guests. The establishment further ventures to act responsibly towards the environment by pledging to play its part towards creating a greener tomorrow.
CINNAMON HOTELS & RESORTSFIRST SRI LANKAN BRAND TO BE REPRESENTED AT FRENCH TRAVEL AWARDS!
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Reigning Miss. France 2014, Flora Coquerel plays Cinnamon ambassador role draped in traditional batik sari
innamon Hotels & Resorts was once again instrumental in bringing Sri Lanka to the limelight by participating at French Travel Awards 2014 in Paris, with the reigning Miss. France 2014 as their brand ambassador. The leading hotel brand was the only Sri Lankan entity to be officially invited to be present at the gala event as well as the only company in the history of French Travel Awards to represent Sri Lanka. Over 500 people of the “crème de la crème” of the French Travel industry were present at the awards ceremony giving immense opportunities to for networking and building relationships. Here, the reigning Miss. France 2014, Miss. Flora Coquerel played the ambassador role for Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, as per the agreement the brand has with the Miss France Organization following the pre-pageant tour of Sri Lanka which took place in November last year. The beauty, draped in a traditional batik sari representing Sri Lankan art and culture, awarded the prize for the ‘new entrant’ to the market. The stunning sari was courtesy of Ms. SonaliDharmawardena, a leading designer in Sri Lanka. France 2014-Flora French Travel Awards, widely known as Golden Travel Awards serves to acknowledge, reward and Miss. Coquerel on stage with Mr. Dileep celebrate excellence across all sectors of the French travel and tourism industry.Since 2009, Golden Mudadeniya-Head of Brand Travel Awardshave strived to reward travel companies that make an impactin the French tourism Marketing, Cinnamon Hotels & sector.The Golden Travel Awards recognizes excellence in 15 categories namely: Best online operator, Resorts, speaking on behalf of best hotel, best tour operator, theme park, airline, cruise-line, car rental, tourism board, distribution Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts. channel, French specialist, open air accommodation, sustainable tourism, mobile application and travel innovation. The selection process takes place through public voting as well as a jury comprising eminent personalities such as Jean-Pierre Nadir,Jacques-Antoine amongst many other elite personnel. L-R- President of the Jury, Founder of the French Travel Awards- Mr. Frédéric Vanhoutte, Miss. France 2014-Flora Coquerel and Mr. Dileep MudadeniyaHead of Brand Marketing, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts.
Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts was indeed privileged to participate in the Golden Travel Awards as it provided the perfect setting to create awareness about Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts and Sri Lanka as a travel destination amongst key decision makers in the French tourism sector and thereby increase top-of-mind recall.“France is considered to attract the highest number of tourists in the world and association of events such as these will give Sri Lanka and our brand great visibility and much needed network opportunities to position our products in the ever booming French market.” said Mr. Dileep Mudadeniya-Head of Brand Marketing, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts. Whilst believing in continuously enhancing the power of the brand, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts continues to pursue all opportunities of optimizing brand equity for itself and Sri Lanka. APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 71
DIFFERENTLY TASTE AT RAJA BOJUN
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aja Bojun is now at a central location with ample parking facilities. It’s Liberty Arcade. When you travel from Liberty roundabout to Bambalapitiya you get the entrance to this state of the art Restaurant situated at the rooftop of Liberty Arcade. The food and meal concepts at RAJA BOJUN is different for its uniqueness and authenticity. The different types of cooking here has expressed to exclusively offer the tastes between a variety of Spicy and mild menus. You can at once identify to the taste buds the different taste of Negombo crab curry and Jaffna Crab curry. Visit RAJA BOJUN for the original Balapitiya Aembul Thiyal (Balapitiya in Down south offers the best fish curry known as Am-bulThiyal) and Kandy Miris Maalu (The Kandyan style chilly curry). At RAJA BOJUN guests normally go in search of traditional as well as popular Sri Lankan curries. Polosambula (young jack fruit curry) brinjalmoju, kirikos (Jack fruit curry) Kos Aeta Kalu Pol Maaluwa (jack fruit seed cooked with scrapped coconut), dry fish curry or fried dry fish and etc. The chefs at RAJA BOJUN exactly know the taste of a customer when it comes to Sri Lankan food and the hotel always uses the original natural ingredients with no artificial flavor additions. Most of the foreign guests at RAJA BOJUN prefer spicy food. Therefore, it has become much interesting to make Sri Lankan dishes to suit their palate.
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BOC PATRONAGES NEW YEAR FESTIVALS ACROSS THE WORLD OMAN
CYPRUS
ISRAEL
KOREA
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ank of Ceylon (BOC) has organized a number of New Year Festivals to bring wishes to the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year 2014. The series of these festivals were initiated on the New Year Day in Cypress as well as Thegu and Pochon cities in South Korea.
Besides, BOC extended patronage and held New Year Festivals in Doha-katar on 24th April, Oman on 25th April, Israel on 26th April and Bahrain on 01st May. BOC has now facilitated all Sri Lankans working in South Korea, Israel and cypress to send money easier with the financial institutions in such countries through the BOC Smart Remit service. BOC customers have also facilitated with the unique facility to obtain money from among more than 660 BOC branches. Besides BOC Smart Remit, the bank has also connected with a larger number of many world popular money transfer systems that allow Sri Lankans working abroad to easily send money via more than 866 banks and financial institutions. APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 73
REVITALIZING TRANSFORMATION
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Galle Face Hotel South Wing remains open
he iconic Galle Face Hotel is nearing completion of a restoration project of its North Wing, originally built in 1864. The ambitious project was designed to preserve the grandeur and romance of the magnificent property while upgrading and modernizing the quality of guest facilities, amenities and services. The North Wing is scheduled to reopen to guests late this year while the South Wing has continued to be in operation as usual throughout the restoration. The South Wing of the Hotel has remained open for business as usual, offering guests a unique stay that blends the aura of a rich heritage with a resort-like atmosphere at the heart of Colombo. The South Wing comprises 82 rooms including 12 suites, all with ocean views, and can cater to a wide segment of guests from single business travelers to families looking for a memorable holiday in Colombo. Seven new conference and meeting centers have also been added to the South Wing. In anticipation of the country gearing up to be the preferred destination for Meetings and Conferences, Galle Face Hotel is ready to act as the preferred partner. Galle Face will also start taking in banquet bookings for weddings from January 2015 for their new and restored halls namely the Grand Ballroom, Jubilee Room and Prince Phillip’s Banquet Room which will have its own entrance without hindering the hotel guests during their stays. Meanwhile 1864, the signature restaurant of the Galle Face Hotel has also been converted to an all day dining experience, widening the dining options available to its patrons. The 1864 restaurant is located at lobby level of the Regency Wing. It offers indoor seating with a stunning view of the Indian Ocean. The day starts at 1864 with a sumptuous breakfast buffet featuring Sri Lankan and Western morning favorites, whilst lunch and dinner offer an array of fresh salads, tempting selections of local and international cuisine and a wide selection of delectable desserts. Also the Pool Bar with it variety of concoctions during sunset and afternoon drinks, the evergreen In on the Green(IOG) gastro bar on Galle Road that brings the casual setting and daily express lunch deals and free Wi-Fi for all customers have remained open. The Galle Face Hotel was originally built by four British entrepreneurs and is among the few remaining Colonial hotels in operation today in Asia. Despite many renovations over the years, the period detail of the Galle Face Hotel has been preserved in its architecture and façade. Keeping in time with the expected completion date, Galle Face has completed restoration of the façade, lobby areas, corridors, Grand ballroom and the Jubilee room. Meanwhile work on the Verandah restaurant, Executive Club Lounge and Sea Spray restaurant is also nearing completion. One of the latest additions to the hotel will be a new bar that will add to the precinct of entertainment that will overlook the magnificent Indian Ocean, making it one-of-a-kind venue in Colombo. The famed garden and Chequerboard will also be redone with much of the previous splendor intact.
PEOPLE’S BANK INSTALLS PET MACHINE AT DIYATALAWA MILITARY ACADEMY SCIENCE FACULTY
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n automatic teller machine or People’s Bank teller was declared open at the Science Faculty of the Diyatalawa Military Academy recently by the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake.
Commander of the Sri Lanka Army Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake declaring open the PET machine.
74 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • APRIL - MAY 2014
The opening ceremony was also graced by the People’s Bank Badulla Regional Manager P. Sirisena, Diyatalawa Branch Manager Upali Wijekoon, military personnel and People’s Bank staff members.
BERJAYA - TOTAL RELAXATION IN ONE DESTINATION
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ucked in the multicultural land of Sri Lanka, laced with blue waters and abundant greenery, the Berjaya Hotel Colombo surrounded by mystical ancient cities, natural splendour, cultural diversity and historical heritage that spans over 2,000 years is now reserved to offer its vistor the best of the paradise isle. The hotel which faces the beachfront on one side and is bordered by lush foliage and tropical vegetation on the other is an ideal setting for business and leisure. Through the private balcony in each of the 90 rooms in the hotel, a guest can experience a fine balance of the splendid beach view on one side and the lush greenery on the other, creating a serene atmosphere. Comfortably furnished with modern facilities, Berjaya Hotel Colombo in Mount Lavinia now offers comfort and total relaxation in one destination. Spanning over 30 years of hospitality and leisure, Berjaya Hotel - Colombo has most definitely come a long way from its inception. Formally known as the Mount Royal Beach Hotel, it was recently rebranded to Berjaya Hotel Colombo underlying the simple elegance and stature of the new vision of the hotel. The hotel is owned and managed by Berjaya Corporation Berhad - a renowned business conglomerate in Malaysia owning over 100 companies in the fields of hospitality, leisure, aviation, property development etc., an investment of over Rs.100 million has been expended for the development and expansion of Berjaya Hotel Colombo to improve the guest-rooms, swimming pool and public areas which is an asset and a worthwhile contribution to the tourism industry in Sri Lanka.
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CITRUS WASKADUWA
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Iconic five-star luxury resort opens on the South Coast
itrus Leisure PLC ceremoniously declared open its iconic five-star property Citrus Waskaduwa today. The hotel is the largest to be built anew in post-war Sri Lanka on a 9.5 acre land with 150-rooms set on an unspoilt, tranquil beach strip of half a kilometer, which promises a holiday experience like no other. Designed and constructed with elegance and ‘happiness moments’ in mind, Citrus Waskaduwa is a perfect blend of luxury and new age minimalist style. At an aesthetically pleasing event, the hotel was ceremonially opened by the Chief Guest His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa while the Guest of Honour was Minister of Economic Development Hon. Basil Rajapaksa. The event was also graced by many other political and corporate dignitaries as well as colleagues, partners and friends of Citrus Leisure PLC. Chairman of Citrus Leisure PLC, Prema Cooray commenting on the historic opening said, “The leisure industry is taking a lead in transforming Sri Lanka. We are a nation blessed with a multitude of resources, which when harnessed, can offer a destination unmatched in attractions. Although Citrus Leisure was the new kid on the block we are immensely proud to have proved our mettle by being the first leisure company to build and operate such a large hotel in the post-war era. We set out with a commitment to add 150 rooms and a plethora of luxury leisure facilities to this country’s offering. Today, we have delivered what we promised. This is only the second milestone in our journey of three short years. We are determined and geared to go places and contribute our best resources to the transformational initiatives of Sri Lanka.” The property which was originally meant to be four-star was recently upgraded and redefined with added luxury, enhanced facilities and new amenities to provide a high end hospitality offering. The 150-rooms are segmented into 140 Superior Rooms, six Deluxe Rooms, one Luxury Suite and one Presidential Suite with “pure indulgence to suit your every desire” being the central theme across the board. A uniqueness of this multi-storey hotel is that guests can take pleasure in a magnificent sea view from the private balcony of every room. Each room is also equipped with a king-size bed, 42-inch flat screen TV, a well-stocked mini-bar, Wi-Fi facilities and an open-sky bathroom. Guest services include laundry and 24 hour room service. Also speaking on the occasion Director/CEO Citrus Leisure Chandana Talwatte noted, “Citrus is a brand built around an aura of fun, fulfillment and happiness. All our services converge to ensure our guests experience a holiday like no other. We began our foray into the leisure industry with the acquisition of a 40 roomed property in Hikkaduwa. Within two years, we have professionally transformed this hotel into an exciting 100 roomed hotel strategically located on the popular Hikka strip. Our greatest strength is our staff, who believes in the value of teamwork and shared responsibility. We are proud to have the best in the industry within our fold and stand confident that we can make a positive impact on the leisure sector of Sri Lanka.” Situated just 37km from Colombo, Citrus Waskaduwa also features extensive banquet facilities, including one of the country’s biggest banquet halls ‘Mandarin Shore’ with the highest ceiling expanse on offer. The modern ‘pillar-less’ banquet hall can cater to up to 500 guests while the smaller ‘Blue Orchard’ ballroom is equipped for 200 pax. For smaller, more intimate gatherings the ‘Sky Lime’ beach lounge is also a stunning setting. Equipped with one of the largest kitchens in the island, the banquet team at Waskaduwa has the capacity and capability to turn dream weddings into reality while also catering to the thriving MICE tourism market. In terms of dining, guests at Citrus Waskaduwa will be spoilt for choice with four signature restaurants that serve gastronomical delights from home and away. The main restaurant ‘Lemon Sun’ caters to a truly inter-continental palette while ‘Aqua Peel’ offers guests the opportunity to indulge in the locality’s best seafood while taking a dip in the extensive pool. The ‘Mi Café’ will feature an à la carte menu for fine dining while the ‘Pips n’Sips’ coffee shop is open for those who prefer lighter meals. Guests who have a passion for the great outdoors will have ample opportunity to enjoy one of the longest beachfronts with a half a kilometer stretch of sand and sea, guaranteeing a spectacular view of the Indian Ocean. An additional ocean-facing plot of land of 80 perches adjoining the existing property has also been developed for an outdoor amphitheater. For those who prefer the indoors after a day in the sun, the ‘Pomelo Hi’ bar named after the native South Asian citrus fruit is one of the many places to relax at, within the extensive property. Armed with a distinctive drink, guests can also head over to the ‘Orange Tales’ reading lounge or the ‘Tangi Blue’ billiard room for an evening of tranquility. The ‘Citron Senses’ Wellness Spa is also world class in its offerings, providing soothing relaxation and memorable bliss to guests on business or holiday.
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Citrus Waskaduwa promises to be an oasis of relaxation and fun for both the business and leisure traveler. Its truly unique and multi-faceted offering will also make a significant impact to Sri Lanka’s objective of welcoming 2.5 million tourist arrivals by 2016. Citrus Waskaduwa by Citrus Leisure PLC looks forward to being a landmark on the South coast of Sri Lanka. A number of such hotel projects are earmarked for completion in the near future in other parts of the country as well, as key offerings of the Citrus chain of luxury hotels, offering ‘Happiness Moments’ of leisure travel.
ETISALAT LANKA’S SPECIAL PROJECT TO MARK FACEBOOK MILESTONE Renovates library of children’s school
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tisalat Lanka, the leading mobile telecommunications innovator in the country, has marked a milestone of the company’s official Facebook page by lending a much-needed helping hand to a children’s school in Angulana. The unique campaign took off when the Etisalat Lanka reached 200,000 fans on their official Facebook page. The company celebrated this milestone by requesting their Facebook fans to recommend a CSR activity for which they would provide Rs.200, 000 – Rs.1 for every Like. Within a short period of just 11 days, over 30 suggestions were posted on the Facebook page with the interactions from hundreds of fans. Based on the number of Likes for each of the recommended CSR activities posted, 10 worthy projects were short-listed, out of which one was picked as the winner.
The winning project was recommended by Mr. Shaveen Fernando Founder/Managing Director, Social Alliance for Love & Trust (SALT), who put forward the project to renovate the library of the Podu Jaya School in Angulana, Moratuwa. Established in 1981, the Podu Jaya School provides education to 350 students and has classes from Grade 1 to 11. The children attending this impoverished school are offspring of the poor parents of the area who ply their trade as fishermen or labourers. The CSR initiative by Etisalat Lanka helped renovate the run down school library. The building was repaired and painted while items such as new chairs, tables and racks were brought in and new ceiling fans installed. In addition to this, a large of stock of new books, a new TV, a stereo set and a computer were also handed over giving the children access to audio-visual equipment that will enhance their learning experience. Speaking about the CSR initiative Etisalat Lanka Shameel Bishri – Senior Manager Marketing, Pre Paid and Customer Loyalty stated, “As a socially responsible company that focuses on innovation, we wanted to do something different when it comes to interacting with our Facebook fans. Having reached the milestone of 200,000 Likes, we thought of using the opportunity to reach out to our loyal fans and show them that every Like that they have given us counts when it comes to the bigger picture. We wanted them to make a difference; we wanted them to feel empowered.” He stated that the response from the fan base was outstanding. “Each fan made a very strong case for the project that he or she posted. It was great to give the fans the power to choose which project deserved this funding,” he added. Commenting on the winning Podu Jaya School library project, Mr. Shaveen Fernando of SALT stated, “It was indeed a proud moment for our team when the project that we recommended got shortlisted and was eventually selected by the Etisalat management. A good education plays a vital part in a child's life. Rich or poor, a child has every right for a better education. The children in this school come from families where fishing is their main source of income, which at times doesn’t provide a sufficient income resulting in children’s education being neglected and children dropping out. Another reason for children dropping out is the inadequate facilities in the school. But if we provide them with better facilities, such as a well-stocked library, it will definitely motivate them to not drop out of school and try harder to get a good education.” ABOUT ETISALAT SRI LANKA: Etisalat continues to discover new horizons and explore new possibilities, as one of the most powerful players in the telecommunications sphere in Sri Lanka. Our brand is set to journey beyond conventional boundaries to ‘Inspire’ the lives of every Sri Lankan. At the heart of our constant innovation of products and services, is the hope of inspiring and enriching people. Our focus extends from our customer to our greater community. While Uplifting the lives of many Sri Lankan’s, Etisalat also continues to make giant strides in the domain of communication innovation through Sri Lanka’s first eBook store Etisalat Book Hub, the Etisalat Web Patashala initiative (together with the State Trading Corporation and Ministry of Education) and AppZone, involving individual app developers and the industry software developers. Redefining the cornerstone of innovation, Etisalat believes in customer centricity through quality and value creation. Offering Sri Lanka's most cutting edge Internet solutions with Dual Carrier HSPA+, Etisalat is currently the fastest growing telecommunication network in Sri Lanka, having surpassed over 4 million subscribers.
APRIL - MAY 2014 • SRI LANKA THE TREASURE ISLAND • 77
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