Sri Lanka Tourism Participates for Korea World Travel Fair 2014 (KOTFA 2014)

Sri Lanka Tourism participates for the 29th Korea World Travel Fair 2014 (KOTFA 2014) held from 29th May to 1st June 2014 in Seoul.

KOTFA is the leading Travel Fair organized by the Korean World Travel Fair Committee, that is being held annually in Korea having participation of more than 500 travel related organizations from over 60 countries (KOTFA 2013 Report) and the only travel fair being held in Seoul, Hosted by the Korean Tourism Association.

KOTFA has been identified as a proper plat form to exhibit Sri Lanka in Korean market as SLTPB participates annually together with trade participants.

Korea has been identified as one of the most prospective potential markets considering the tourism arrivals to Sri Lanka. Adequate marketing campaigns and promotional activities carried out in order to maintain the continuous improvements of the arrival numbers from Korea, to attract high spending Korean tourist and also to make the Koreans aware about the attractions of Sri Lanka.

International Conference on Digital Marketing 2014

Organized by The International Institute of Knowledge Management, the International Conference of Digital Marketing is to be held at the Galadari Hotel, Colombo on 03rd and 04th June 2014. The conference seeks to involve researchers, scholars and professionals examining theories, strategies, challenges, and future trends of Digital Marketing

Poson Festival – June 12th

Marking the birth of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Poson poya day is much celebrated event and dates back in 3rd Century BC when king Devanampiyatissa was converted to Buddhism by Arahat Maha Mahinda, the son of King Asoka, the Emperor of India, after which Buddhism was declared the State religion.

The entire country celebrates this significant milestone, but it all culminates at Mihintale, known as the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, for it is believed to be there that the conversion took place. In fact it is in the Ambasthale Dagoba, the temple in Mihintale, accessible by 1840 steps, that it is in believed that the historic encounter took place.

On Poson poya day, many devotees make their way to temple to spend reflective hours in meditation while there are also several sil campaigns, Dan Sal, Poson devotional songs and pandols among others.

Sancharaka Udawa – “A Must Exploit Opportunity”

The Press launch of Sancharaka Udawa 2014 was held on yesterday 12th May 2014 at Monara Restaurant of Sri Lanka Tourism & Hotel Mgmt. Institute, with the participation of many industry members, local media and travel industry stake holders. The head table of the press conference was represented by Dr. D.S. Jayaweera – Director General, Sri Lanka Tourism, Mr. Rumy Jauffer - Managing Director, Sri Lanka Tourism, Mr. Mahen Kariyawasam -SAITO President, Mr. Harith Perera- SLAITO, Mr. Ziyan Ameen- President SLAPCEO, and Mr. Nilmin Nanayakkara – Immediate Past President SLAITO.

Sancharaka Udawa 2014 exhibition & convention is an important annual event for all stakeholders engaged in the tourism industry. Be it a hotel of different size or scale, a services provider of different thatcher, or a supplier with diversity the Sancharaka Udawa 2014 is an opportunity, which house their needs and solutions under one roof.

Better than before, this year’s event held for the 4th consecutive year on 27th and 28th of June 2014 at the Sri Lanka Exhibition & Convention Centre. It will consist over 200 stalls and a special pavilion of outbound tourism service providers. Sancharaka Udawa 2014 is organized by Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) together with Sri Lanka Tourism to bring together a wide network of personnel across the industry. It is the only gathering of this nature in Sri Lanka - since its inception in 2011.

Concurrently the general membership of the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound tour Operators (SLAITO) will hold their Special General Meeting on 27th June 2014 at 9.00 am at the same venue. This will ensure the attendance of key players in the Tourism Industry at Sancharaka Udawa 2014.

Vesak Festival - May 14th

Vesak is the main Buddhist religious festival in Sri Lanka. During this time, people celebrate the triple anniversary of Lord Buddha - his birth, his attaining of Enlightenment and his passing away into Nirvana.
Also known as the Buddhist Festival of Light, colorful bamboo framed lanterns adorn the interior of every home and incredible luminous displays decorate the streets of most towns. Visit Bhauddoloka Mawatha, the main street in Colombo, to catch this glowing spectacle in full glory.
Vesak marks the first month of the Buddhist Calendar. This is a day spent in reflective prayer as people cease wordly pursuits and engage themselves in religious activities. Devotees Buddhists pray in temples from dawn until the dusk. As the sun sets, devotees partake in processions and return to the temples in the evening to hear monks read stories from sacred texts.
Stalls on the roadside distribute free refreshments to passers-by and there are some fantastic mime and street theatre performances, staged on tall platforms near temples in cities and towns throughout the country.

Fox Hill Super Cross on 19th April 2014

Sri Lanka Military Academy conducts Fox Hill Super Cross to raise funds to elevate the infrastructure facilities of the Academy to be on par with other Military Academies in the region.

In year 1913, a British ship by the name of “HMS FOX” (HMS - Her Majesty’s Ship) docked at the Trincomalee Harbour for repairs and its crew visited Diyatalawa as there was a sanatorium for naval personnel of the Royal Navy’s East India Station. Seeing the panoramic beauty of the area, the Captain of the ship was fascinated with the idea of leaving the insignia of the ship on a prominent hillock to remember their visit to this beautiful town, Diyatalawa.

Thus there appeared on the face of the hillock as we see it today, the image of a fox with the name “HMS FOX” and the year “1913” out of white granite. The famous Fox Hill came into being in this manner.

The Fox Hill racing track is unique and holds a prominent place in Sri Lanka for its location, salubrious climes and attractive surrounding. It is greatly cherished by the racing drivers and riders for its challenging nature and loved by spectators for the entertainment and fun it offers them.

The roar of fine tuned engines will reverberate in the scenic hill station of Diyatalawa, home of the Sri Lanka Military Academy, once again on 19th April 2014 signalling that the 2014 battle for motor racing glory has begun in earnest.

Some 175 drivers and riders are expected to be registered for this iconic event organized by the Sri Lanka Military Academy (SLMA) and the Sri Lanka Auto-sports Drivers Association (SLADA). However, more than 200 drivers and riders including competitors from overseas are expected to show up on race day.

According to organizers two leading racing drivers from India have been invited and three top Indian riders are among the confirmed participations.

This year’s Fox Hill Super Cross comprises of 12 motor car and 14 motorcycle events approximately including the championship races which will be taken into account in awarding the Championship trophies to the country`s top drivers and riders at the end of the 2014 racing season.

The championship races are grouped as Group SL-GT up to 3500 cc and Group SL-H up to 1600 cc in the motor car category and Group MX-Racing Motocross bikes up to 125 cc 2 Stroke, up to 250 cc 4 stroke and Group MX-Racing Motocross up to 85 cc (under 16 years as at 31 December 2014) in the motorcycle category.

Trucks and Jeeps Diesel up to 5500 cc and Super Motored up to 2500 cc (2 stroke and 4 stroke) and cars up to 1500 cc in the special motor car category are among the other popular races that are expected to add to the thrills and enjoyment of the competition.

The organizing committee has said that all arrangements had been made for a spectacular and unforgettable racing event.

Sri Lanka Attracts High End French Tourist Group

The growing demand from incentive Travelers in the MICE tourism segment had increased quite sharply over the past years who are traveling mainly for the purpose business and investment. Sri Lanka Tourism has identified MICE segment as a key driver of tourism growth and a contributor for overall economic development of Sri Lanka. As a result of the Wonder of Asia promotional campaign initiated by Ministry of Economic Development and Sri Lanka Tourism in Europe, Sri Lankan Travel agents have been receiving many up market incentive groups to Sri Lanka during the recent past. One of Sri Lanka’s leading travel agents Connaisance De Ceylon received a group of 130 pax incentive group from Toulouse – France on 26th March which is latest addition to the group incentive travelers visiting the country.

The group consisted of high end tourists from France representing different segments and mainly looking for investment opportunities in Sri Lanka. Due to the new infrastructure developments in the country especially in the areas of domestic air travel, the group took flight using MI 17 helicopters of Heli Tours. A fleet of 06 helicopters carried the incentive group for sightseeing tour from Kandy to down south. The Helitours Pvt Ltd unveiled its newest fleet of helicopters recently which are highly sophisticated for tourist travel.

The groups was highly impressed with the novel experience of having the opportunity to take a birds eye view of Sri Lanka’s luscious greenery and landscape from skies above. They were in full of praise on the latest developments taken place in Sri Lanka for high end tourist travelers such as what they experienced travelling by helicopters. Chairman of Connaisance De Ceylon Mr. Chandra Wickramasinhe played a pivotal role in bringing down and organizing the innovative experience offered to the insentive group from France.

CNNGo Featured on Sri Lanka

“Leading Tourism Newspapers Endorse Sri Lanka Tourism Promotional Campaign in China”

The latest issues of leading Chinese newspapers namely “China Tourism News” and “Oriental Morning Post” have heavily endorsed Sri Lanka Tourism promotional strategy and campaigns being carried out in Beijing and Shanghai over several months period starting from last year. The cover story of “China Tourism News” states that “Sri Lanka has seen a rapid growth in number of Chinese Tourists visiting Sri Lanka” and the Oriental Morning Post article says ‘Sri Lanka the Fascinating country causing a climax in Shanghai”

The Full articles as appeared in the newspapers are inserted below:

Article 01 : Rapid Growth in number of the Chinese Tourists visit Sri Lanka – China Tourism News – Published on 28th February 2014

Article 02 : Sri Lanka the Fascinating country causing a climax in Shanghai - Oriental Morning Post - Published on 7th March 2014

Rapid growth in number of the Chinese tourists visit Sri Lanka 
- China Tourism News February 28th 2014 (Friday)

(Reporter: Wu Wei)

According to the information of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, in January 2014, a total of 146,000 tourists visited Sri Lanka. It was a growth of 32.6 % on year to year basis. The Chinese tourist arrival in Sri Lanka during the same period was 10,780 and recorded a growth of 223.9 % in comparison to January 2013. China is the top most source of tourists’ arrival in Sri Lanka in January 2014.

Official of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau said that this result is inseparable with the vigorous promotional drive carried out in the Chinese market and the creative activities in 2013. It is understood that since September 2013, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau together with the Embassy of Sri Lanka in the People Republic of China in succession start the advertisement on 200 public buses in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu cities, which last for 6 months. Among them, Beijing has 50 double decker buses. Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu have 50 normal buses each. That is comprehensive coverage of large trunk road, Universities, Campuses and Central business district. The bus advertisement is a mobile outdoor media advertisement method to show the rich tourism resources of Sri Lanka in polyhedral solid ways. The reporter visited a number of travel agencies and find out that Sri Lanka becomes a black horse in the outbound travel market in the Spring Festival holiday this year. And the sales are very popular. Chartered tourist products are fully booked before two months of the holiday. Many tourists are just after seeing the bus advertisements further understanding this beautiful tropical country.

Sri Lanka is modern master of white ball cricket

In their last T20 match for Sri Lanka, the prolific duo of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena secured their nation its first-ever ICC World T20 title over a dejected India. But it was Sri Lanka’s bowlers who were the architects of the victory.

It is often assumed that T20 is a batsman’s game. But Nuwan Kulasekara and Lasith Malinga proved how influential, shrewd and precise bowling can be, allowing India just 15 runs from the last three overs. First Yuvraj Singh, then MS Dhoni were unable to get the ball away, crucially denying Virat Kohli the strike and ensuring that India’s final total of 130 was 30 runs too light.

India fought hard with the ball, and took wickets regularly, but without a substantial target to defend, it could never afford a big over, and that came when Thisara Perera and Sangakarra pummelled Amit Mishra’s over, the 15th for 14. Despite being the star of earlier matches,  Mishra’s nerve failed him in the final and his line wavered and his pace erred too much on the fast side. His four overs went for 32 runs. Sangakkara finished 52 not out as he was mobbed by ecstatic teammates. For a man who has given so much to his country, it was the least he deserved.

India could only look on and ponder on what might have been. Their innings began cautiously with just three boundaries in the powerplay. Virat Kohli tried to take the initiative and when he miscued to mid-wicket and was missed by Malinga there were suggestions that the Sri Lanka captain might have dropped the trophy. Kohli made them pay with some classic shots, the pulled drive over long-on, the majestic shots through and over cover, making light of the loss of Rohit and Rahane.

But Yuvraj Singh was struggling at the other end, with just 11 runs off 20 balls, unable even to give the strike to the increasingly impatient Kohli. The crucial over was the 18th, bowled by Malinga, after the off-spinner Senanyake, the most economical bowler in the tournament with his clever variations conceding just 5.2 an over, bowled his final over (the 17th) for just four runs.

Bowling wide and very full, Malinga stopped Yuvraj from hitting to the leg-side, or getting the ball away at all, and Kulasekera did the same bowling wide and full to Kohli in the 19th. When Yuvraj could only miscue a full toss to long-off, departing for 11 off 30 balls (strike rate 57), Dhoni sent himself in, but a brilliant final over from Malinga – getting the ball regularly under his bat outside off-stump, denied him having any impact. The last over went for just seven, and Dhoni, the great finisher managed only four singles from 10 balls.

Kohli had faced just eight balls (from which he made seven runs) in the last four overs. Malinga’s figures of 4-0-27-0 gave little clue to his match-winning influence.

It took the pressure off Sri Lanka’s batsmen, meaning their great runmakers Sangakkara and Jayawardena  could bide their time and play the ball on its merits and see their side home, aided by the big-hitting Thisara Perera with more than two overs to spare. So the country with 1/60th of the population of their powerful opponents finally overcame them in a world final.

Sri Lanka is the original giant killer. It has now lost only one match in its last 16 ODIs and T20s (to England). It is the modern master of white ball cricket.

Sri Lanka Tourism in Full Show at ITB Germany 2014

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau participated for the 48th edition of the world's largest travel trade show, International Travel Brochure (ITB) 2014 at Messe Berlin fairground from 03rd to 09th March 2014 in Berlin-Germany. Representing Sri Lanka, 120 representatives from top 60 travel and tourism agencies and hotel sector took part in this event, making this event to be the one with the largest number of participants ever from Sri Lanka. At the ITB 2014 travel trade show 10,147 tourism companies from 189 countries represented on a display area covering 160,000 square meters. The Sri Lanka delegation to Berlin is led by the Director General of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Dr. D.S. Jayaweera and The Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Germany, H.E. Mr. Sarath Kongahage with the officials from both institutes.

Korea – Sri Lanka Travel & Tourism Club Launched

The Korea-Sri Lanka Travel & Tourism Club was launched at the Millennium Hilton Hotel in Seoul on 14th February 2014. The club was created to enhance the cultural and economic relationship between Sri Lanka and South Korea. One of its main goals is to promote tourism, a core area of growth for Sri Lanka-Korea relations.

The chief guest of the event, Hon. Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Economic Development met with more than 100 Korean and Sri Lankan members of the club who were present at the launch ceremony. Minister of Environment and Renewable Energy Hon. Susil Premajayatha also attended the event.

During the event, Minister Rajapaksa further expressed his sincere appreciation to the organizers and members of the tourism club for leading the launch, promoting tourism and cultural relations between Sri Lanka and South Korea and initiating the campaign to increase awareness of Sri Lanka as a popular destination for Korean tourists. Sri Lanka is already being vigorously promoted in Korea’s main markets, particularly through a series of promotional campaigns that will be presented throughout the year. This club will provide the additional boost for the tourism campaigns.