Sri Lanka Package Holidays

Visit One Of The Most Notable National Parks In Sri Lanka

2010-02-15T08:10:00.000-08:00

Most countries have national parks that are worth seeing. They provide an understanding of what the greener areas of those countries are all about, not to mention a chance to get away, relax and enjoy some greenery.

The Sinharaja Forest Reserve in Sri Lanka is one of the best national parks you could hope to see. For starters it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which should tell you just how important an area this is. It is also a biosphere reserve, which points to the fact that it is protected from many advancements of today’s world.

So what can you expect when you get there? Most areas and locations have their own peculiarities and features that cannot be easily found elsewhere. The Sinharaja Forest Reserve is very much like this and indeed more than half of the trees you will find there can only be found in this region. As a result some are exceedingly rare.

The area also gives you an opportunity to look for many birds and mammals which are prevalent in this area alone. And the wildlife isn’t the only stunning sight you will see here. The surroundings you will walk through and explore are simply amazing, and you will feel as if you are in another world altogether.

You will see natural cascading waterfalls gushing water into still pools. You can look down from some of the higher vantage points in the Sinharaja Forest Reserve and see how the rest of the reserve below looks from above. And you can also wander along paths which take you through those rare trees and past some of the more unusual looking birds and other animals which can be found there.

This is truly a discovery for everyone who sees it. The Sinharaja Forest Reserve is protected and isolated in a sense from the rest of the world. But we can go in and see it as we treat it with respect. This is truly a delight to behold and it provides you with a very humbling experience indeed.

Discover Colombo – And The Reasons Why You Need To Pay It A Visit

2010-01-14T02:21:00.001-08:00

When you head to a foreign country it is natural to go straight for the coast. But sometimes it pays to head into the cities as well, because you can discover a lot about the whole country there.

Colombo in Sri Lanka is no exception to this. It may be the economic hub of the country but it also has plenty to delight tourists with – not least the quirky bazaar district known as Pettah.

Pettah has lots to impress you with if you love shopping. Instead of staying indoors and visiting one of the huge malls you find in some countries, this enables you to stay outside and meet some of the locals. Stalls and bazaars are dotted around and encouraging you to take a closer look. If you want real souvenirs to take home instead of tacky ones, this could be just the place to find them. You’ll see everything from clothing to craft items made by local people here.

Laksala is another good place to go for bargain hunters. As with Pettah it has stalls and delights around every corner. You won’t find the prices excessive and the range of goods you can buy here is very impressive indeed. Be sure to browse round before deciding what you want to take home with you.

Of course you can still frequent the more modern mall here in Colombo. But you will probably prefer the bazaars you have already seen if you end up visiting both to compare them.

No visit to Colombo is complete without seeing the harbour. This is an extremely busy harbour and it is an important part of the whole country. It has transformed greatly since it was first opened back in the 14th century. While the modern equipment does not provide as romantic a picture as the way things were done in the past, it is still a wonderful place to visit to see how it all works.

So don’t miss out on Colombo when you head to Sri Lanka next. It has a lot to reveal.

The Sacred City Of Anuradhapura

2009-11-13T02:04:00.001-08:00

It makes sense that you would want to see the capital of the country you are visiting on holiday. But when you get a chance to see a capital that has been there for centuries you should definitely make a beeline for it.

This is the case in Sri Lanka, where the Sacred City of Anuradhapura first started life in the 5th century BC. It has not surprisingly been granted the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and since this is not bestowed lightly it points to the capital as a must see destination.

So what can you expect to see when you arrive?

Well a tree might not be the first thing you would head for, but you should definitely search out the Bo tree. The whole city was constructed around this, and as such it forms the heart of everything you will see. This tree has been watched over by monks for centuries, and it is believed to be the oldest tree in the world.

There is plenty more to view once you arrive at the Sacred City though. The Archaeological Museum is a good place to start, since it will give you the best idea of how Anuradhapura has developed over the years. There are plenty of relics and exhibits here to complement the ruins of the city itself, so it provides a nice counterpoint to being outside among them.

But one of the most eye catching buildings of all can be seen long before you reach it. The Ruwanwelisaya is a stupa, or a place containing relics of Buddhism. This particular example is eye catching for the fact that it is white, and since it is a full 92 metres tall you can see that it is rather on the large side!

Other sights in the Sacred City of Anuradhapura include the Thuparama Vatadage – a shrine – and the Royal Palace. And with many more besides you can see that you could happily spend a whole day immersing yourself in the history and delights of this stunning city.

It is quite simply one of the best sights in the whole country.

Sri Lanka December tourist arrivals up over 50 percent

2008-01-15T04:58:00.000-08:00

The Sri Lanka Tourism Ministry said that December tourist arrivals to the country increased by 55.8 percent.

“Sri Lanka tourism which recovered after a year long slump since September 2006 out did its 20 percent growth in November 2007, with a 55.8 percent increase in December,” the Ministry said.

Arrivals that had decreased by 40 percent in May of last year, had picked up by year end, to finish the year with 494,008 arrivals narrowing the drop to 11.7 percent.

“January looked promising with the visiting Bohra Spiritual Leader and accompanying devotees filling up city hotel rooms at premium prices. The overflow of visitor demand in the city was also taken by Negombo, Wadduwa and Kalutara Hotels,” it said.

Tourism Minister, Milinda Moragoda hoped that 2008 as the year of consolidation. “Much effort will be laid on improving the quality of the tourism products while focusing on key markets such as India, Middle East, China and Russia that have shown a growth potential. Much will be done also to consolidate the conventional markets from Western Europe,” he said.

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Sri Lanka Nightlife

2007-07-24T06:47:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka is the location in South Asia with the most active night life. One stretch of Galle Road in Colombo has so many casinos that it resmebles Las Vegas.

Gambling is illegal some South Asian countries and Casinos are unheard of. Sri Lanka on the other hand has her fair share even though they are not allowed to call themselves Casinos. So they call themselves clubs but under the hood they are fully fledged casinos that never sleep.

Discos and 'real' night clubs are a plenty. Until recently most of the activity was at the five star hotels. But lots of watering holes, pool palours and bowling alleys have sprung up all over Colombo in recent years. So hang around till the sun comes up.

Last but not least, alcohol flows very very freely in Sri Lanka. While the sorrounding countries are mostly dry, Sri Lanka has probably the largest per capita consumption of alcohol in the whole of Asia. This is despite ban on it's sale on Full Moon days (A religious holiday). So you better stock up on the day before.

Sri Lanka Tourism to Score with Lankan Cricket

2007-04-30T08:59:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka Tourism had played a major role in forming a Sri Lankan cheering squad in the Caribbean.

Tourist Board Chairman Renton de Alwis said yesterday that this has been carried out with the assistance of Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Washington.

Accordingly match tickets of 30 Sri Lankan students in the US who have currently travelled to Caribbean has been upgraded with the assistance of Tourist Board. “These students who were already in the West Indies were scattered all over in the stadium during matches but we have been able to get them in to one stand and thus created a cheering squad,” he added.

In addition various other items such as masks of Sri Lankan cricketers have been couriered to Caribbean to be used by the Sri Lankan fans. The lion which a lady had at the semi final match is one of those items sent according to him.

“The placards carry various slogans all centered around our promotional theme 'Sri Lanka, a land like no other,” he said. For instance, a placard showing Lasith Malinga's bleached-blond hairdo with the legend “a lad like no other” is being placed next to Sri Lankan masks, de Alwis said.

“Power of positive thinking is an effective thing,” he added.

Sri Lanka is using the cricket World Cup to lure holidaymakers as tourist arrivals have dipped by 16% in the first quarter this year.

“The exposure we have had during the World Cup is simply priceless for the country's image. The team's success has generated enormous awareness about the country. It's a shot in the arm for us,” de Alwis said.

An AFP report said Sri Lanka's image as a tourist destination has taken a beating since fighting between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels surged in December 2005.In the three months to March this year, some 134,600 foreign tourists visited the island, a 15.6 percent drop over the same period in 2006, according to official figures.

March was the worst, with authorities reporting just 35,031 visitors, a 36.0 percent drop over the same month a year earlier.

“Hopefully, our cheer squads and creative visual material will attract more cricket fans to Sri Lanka when England tours the island in October,” de Alwis said.

Sri Lanka Tourism has rolled out a 500-million rupee (4.6-million dollar) campaign to promote Sri Lanka in India, Europe and China this year.

Sri Lanka Must Have Hotel Accommodations to Cater the Distinct Needs of the Saudi Muslim Tourists

2007-04-17T03:03:00.000-07:00

17 April 2007

Sri Lanka can increase present percentage of Saudi tourists, if it provides suitable locations which protect customs and practices of Saudis culture. Commercial Division of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia said about 75 percent of Saudis prefer to travel with their big families and to be in an isolated place with their family members. They like to stay in apartment type hotels and expect facilities like separated swimming pools.

The Commercial Division of the Embassy said therefore, it is necessary to encourage investors in the tourism sector to build apartment type hotels in order to attract tourists from Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. In addition building up of amusement parks and large shopping malls would be additional attractions to encourage more tourists from Saudi Arabia.

They further said a number of Saudis visit Eastern European countries for physiotherapy treatments. Sri Lankan spa owners and the travel promoters should create awareness campaigns among Saudis to attract more tourists.

Saudi Arabia is the eighth country in terms of number of tourists traveling aboard. Only 24 percent of Saudi tourists visit summer resorts in Saudi Arabia while 29 percent travel to other Arab countries and the 47 percent visit different destinations.

During every summer, Saudis visit other countries and their aggregate spending for foreign travel was over US$15 billion. In total about 70 percent Saudis visit foreign, countries as travelers.

During the period June to August in the year 2005 approximately 120,000 Saudis traveled overseas to spend their summer vacation.

“Their main destinations are Asian and European countries, the Embassy said.

During the year 2005 around 40,000 Saudis traveled to Malaysia and most of the rest spent their holidays in the EU countries such as France , UK, Switzerland , Italy, Austria and Germany. However only around 1400 Saudis visited Sri Lanka during year 2005.Most of them were in Sri Lanka to attend businesses and recruiting workers for their companies.

England Cricket Team’s Sri Lanka Tour Details Released

2007-04-02T04:14:00.000-07:00

30 March 2007

The dates for England cricket team’s tour of Sri Lanka this year have been released.

The One-Day International matches and the Test Series run between September and December, and the Sri Lankan Tourism board expects operators to start marketing packages around the tours.

The England team will arrive in Sri Lanka on September 25, and the One-Day International matches start on October 1.

The first Test Series match will take place between November 25 and 27, with the third and final one due between December 18 and 22.

Jean-Marc Flambert, Sri Lanka Tourism UK director, said: "In the past, we have attracted over 5,000 English cricket supporters to Sri Lanka as the games are being played in places of historical and cultural significance."

Host cities include Dambulla, Colombo, Moratuwa, Colts CC, Kandy and Galle.

One-Day Internationals

Sept 25: Arrival of England team
Sept 28: Warm-up match
Oct 1: First ODI (Dambulla)
Oct 2: rain reserve day
Oct 4: Second ODI (Dambulla)
Oct 5: rain reserve day
Oct 7: Third ODI (Dambulla)
Oct 8: rain reserve day
Oct 10: Fourth ODI (Colombo)
Oct 11: rain reserve day
Oct 13: Fifth ODI (Colombo)
Oct 14: rain reserve day

Test Series

Nov 15: Arrival of England team
Nov 20–22: Warm-up match (Moratuwa)
Nov 25–27: First-class match (Colts CC)
Dec 1–5: First Test (Galle)
Dec 9–13: Second Test (Colombo)
Dec 18–22: Third Test (Kandy)

Sri Lanka Records Growth in Tourism but Far Behind Targets

2007-01-18T04:14:00.000-08:00

Sri Lanka Tourist Board figures show that the arrival of tourists to Sri Lanka increased last year despite the country's escalating ethnic conflict. However, the tourist arrivals were far behind the targeted 600,000.

Some 549,308 tourists arrived in Sri Lanka in 2006. This is 10,295 more than the number of arrivals in 2005, said the Sri Lanka Tourist Board.

Tourist arrivals from India increased, while the high-spending Western European tourists declined in number over the past year.

Series of promotions launched by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board and the availability of a direct Sri Lankan Airlines flight attracted more Chinese tourists.

Sri Lanka Tourist Board together with the World Tourism Organization is organizing a Regional Workshop on Tourism Statistics and Tourism Satellite Account in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 13-16 February 2007 especially for statistics professionals and managerial staff in tourism industry.

Tourism:Hoping for Summer After Bleak Winter

2007-01-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

The New Year brings good and bad news for the tourism industry as the Government renews efforts to promote Sri Lanka as a travel destination but hoteliers continue to suffer with falling occupancy rates.

As the travel advisories issued by many European countries seem to stand firm, only Britain has shown relative leniency on travel to Sri Lanka.

‘First Choice’, one of the largest outbound tour operators in the UK is scheduled to restart its charter flights to Sri Lanka next month after suspending flights in November 2006. However, if the tour operator does not have an acceptable load factor (number of passengers) it runs the risk of reconsidering these charter flights.

According to the Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) this situation can be very advantageous to the tourism industry at the present time since the charter flights would give credibility to Sri Lanka as a destination and the operator would push to fill all seats generating volume-business.

However not everything is going smoothly for tourism in Sri Lanka as hoteliers still fight for concessions from the Government and there is no improvement in occupancy rates. The THASL has requested the Tourism Ministry for a moratorium on loans taken by hotels, which according to many hoteliers is directly targeting the hotels affected by the tsunami.

THASL has also asked for a temporary exemption from VAT payments for a stipulated period of time to enable hotels to recover from the poor turnover during the peak season. Apart from low occupancy rates, the new electricity tariff which came into force has also victimized the tourism industry.

Although the new tariff has given some relief to industries, the Government has failed to recognize hotels as one that falls into the industrial category thus excluding the hotel industry from the benefits of the new tariff. The hotel industry is widely considered a ‘thrust industry’ and almost 100% of local raw materials are converted into services and products resulting in large turnovers which are predominantly in foreign exchange.

The hotel industry is also the fourth largest foreign exchange earner for the country making hoteliers feel unappreciated by the Government’s failure to recognize them as an industry. Meanwhile, the Government’s effort to put tourism back on its feet has not been completely unsuccessful. Plans have been made in consultation with the Tourism Ministry and the national airline regarding a direct consumer campaign in Britain which is scheduled to be launched in early 2007 while another one is being finalized for China and the Middle East.

This will be a partnership with a select number of UK tour operators on 50% cost sharing basis. The Ministry and the Tourist Board has assured that the funds for this campaign will be forthcoming from the Government.

Sri Lanka is also preparing to participate in the ITB tourism fair in Berlin with the Tourist Board and the Tourism Ministry making their best efforts to have 50% of the stall charges waived for participating companies.However the current political and military situation in the country sets up the tourism industry for another roller coaster ride of ups and downs during the year.

Lanka Tourism to Invest Rs One Crore to Woo Indians

2006-12-11T06:25:00.000-08:00

Sri Lanka Tourism Board will invest about Rs one crore in the next one year to increase awareness among people living in Tier-II cities of India about tourist destinations in the island country.

SLTB is committed to an investment to the tune of Rs one crore in 2007 to increase the destination visibility and recall in the Indian market, especially in Tier-II cities of the country, Sri Lanka convention bureau chairman M Haniffa Ishak told reporters.

Tourism industry is the fourth largest foreign exchange earner for Sri Lanka and India, with a 20 per cent share, is the leading contributor in terms of tourist arrivals.

"India today accounts for 20-25 per cent of the meeting, incentives, conference and exhibition (mice) segment, with about 28,000 Indians visiting Sri Lanka in 2005-06," he said.

The bureau would aim to further enhance the mice traffic from India through its `Meet in Sri Lanka` programme, he said, adding that it would offer incentives like discount on accommodation rates and air fares among other things.

Sri Lanka expects revenue earning from tourism to touch one billion dollars from the current level of 600 million dollars.

"Revenue would double as a result of increased tourist inflow, expected to touch one million by 2010 from the current figure of around 550,000," Ishak said.

Setting aside any security threat to tourists in the ongoing ethnic conflict between LTTE and the Sri Lankan government, Ishak said "Tourists are completely safe in Sri Lanka and till now no tourists has been attacked."

Taj Hotels Resorts And Palaces And Silversea Cruises Form A Strategic Marketing Alliance

2006-12-07T06:29:00.001-08:00

Cannes, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, one of Asia’s largest and finest group of hotels, and Silversea Cruises, an Italian owned cruise company reflecting generations of maritime and travel experience, have entered into a strategic joint marketing alliance to develop cross-promotional opportunities for both companies to harness each other’s strengths in their respective markets of dominance. Furthermore, the alliance will help in building and strengthening the brand exposure for both Taj Hotels and Silversea Cruises.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Raymond Bickson, Managing Director & C.E.O., The Indian Hotels Company Limited, said, “This alliance will give us the opportunity to work with each other’s distribution networks and create awareness for each other’s brand.. This alliance will bring in a synergistic approach to the marketing efforts of two of the world’s finest hospitality brands.”

Mr. Manfredi Lefebvre D'Ovidio, Chairman, Silversea Cruises, added, “ We are thrilled to have formed this alliance which comes at the most opportune time when India’s tourist industry is booming with increased travel by Indians to domestic and overseas destinations. By creating an alliance with a hotel company that has similar brand positioning and quality of customer service to our own, we offer our guests reciprocal privileges and benefits that reflect the style and quality of the Silversea product”

Recognized as the defining elite luxury experience and regularly lauded by leading consumer and trade publications, Silversea Cruises owns and operates four ships namely Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper. An innovator in the ultra-luxury segment, Silversea Cruises has become the favourite among modern affluent travelers with its all-inclusive pricing, and unmatched onboard product enhanced by partnerships with the world’s most respected luxury brands.

There are 19 hotels under the Taj Luxury Hotels portfolio. These include the legendary Taj Mahal Palace & Tower in Mumbai, Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur, Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur and The Pierre in New York. Taj’s international portfolio consists of hotels spanning across regions like USA, UK, Australia, and Middle East and the Indian Ocean Rim. The Indian Ocean Rim has our Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, Maldives and Mauritius hotels.

The portfolio of hotels under Taj Luxury Hotels and ships under Silversea are destinations unto themselves. They share a mutual culture, which places a premium on offering high-quality service while maintaining the unique appeal of their respective products. The Taj Hotels – Silversea Cruises partnership will provide guests with a total of 19 hotels and 4 ships offering not only comparable service and quality, but also distinct experiences in unique destinations to choose from.

Supporting and enhancing the representation of both partners in different parts of the world, the Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces - Silversea Cruises alliance will develop reciprocal and joint marketing activities that include undertaking of high profile joint marketing initiatives in designated market areas, developing and strengthening guest and client relationships through the affiliation and building brand awareness .

Sri Lanka to Set up a New Tourist Zone

2006-12-07T06:26:00.000-08:00

Dec 04, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Ministry of Tourism has launched a project to develop a new tourist zone in Kalpitiya on Sri Lanka's northwestern coast.

The project has been named the Kalpitiya Dutch Bay Island Project. It will be initiated on 5000 acres of land with a total expenditure of Rs. 350 million. The Sri Lanka Tourist Board will meet the total expenditure through the Embarkation Levy, which is being collected to fund development in consultation with the Ministry of Finance.

The Sri Lanka Cabinet last week granted approval to a memorandum in this regard presented by Minister of Tourism Anura Bandaranaike. The first and second phase of the infrastructure development for the Kalpitiya Dutch Bay Island Project will be awarded to the Urban Development Authority and will be undertaken by the State Engineering Corporation subject to approvals and clearances from the Central Environmental Authority, Coast Conservation Department, Ministry of Fisheries and Ministry of Defence.