Sri Lanka Tourism – Beyond number crunching

While numbers are vital to the tourism industry, they cannot override the importance of ensuring that Sri Lanka remains a sustainable and resilient tourist destination in Asia…. Picture shows a “Home stay” facility in Mai Chau Village in North Western Vietnam. The recently publicized Vision 2016 targets 50,000 hotel rooms to accommodate 2.5 million tourists in the country by 2016 with expected revenue of $1 billion. Behind these figures remain a number of questions that require urgent answers. Had these figure emerged from the 10 year Master Plan for Tourism currently being developed, a rationalization would have been provided justifying these numbers and explaining how the numbers would be generated. Instead, as a result of the figures being publicized it would now seem that the Master Plan has to be designed to justify these numbers. Sri Lanka currently has 15,000 hotel rooms available for guests. To add 35,000 hotel rooms by the end of 2015, or in less than five years is no mean feat. Suitable locations, massive capital investments, multitude of approvals from numerous agencies, environmental impact assessments, the required infra-structure at these places including roads, water, electricity, garbage management etc. etc., remains to be successfully addressed. Furthermore the resultant environmental degradation resulting from such fast-paced growth cannot be ignored in the name of economic development especially in an age when global tourism is adopting a cohesive green approach. The target of 2.5 million tourists in one year is not over-ambitious for Sri Lanka, once infrastructure is in place to sustain these visitor numbers without adversely affecting the country’s environment or creating too great a burden on its natural resources. Destinations comparatively smaller than Sri Lanka have managed to get even bigger tourist numbers, but development was sustained and staggered over a longer period that allowed enough time and space to address issues that surfaced. Singapore though 91 times smaller than Sri Lanka entertained 9.7 million tourists in 2009 and Bali being 11.5 times smaller had 2.2 million visitors. Land mass therefore is only one aspect of what kind of visitor numbers a country can sustain and every destination has an unique set of characteristics, and different environmental concerns. Community Tourism  Tourism as a national industry should produce benefits to its society both directly and indirectly. Tourism models in certain destinations, for instance in Indochina that began promoting tourism much later than Sri Lanka, successfully derive benefits to local communities directly through the highly popular ‘Home-stay’ concept. This should not be confused with letting out a vacant room or two of a Colombo residence or elsewhere with attached baths and luxuries. These are family run facilities that provide clean common accommodation such as sleeping on wooden decks with basic amenities and meals at attractive prices to visitors who enjoy the change whilst experiencing community life style in its true form. For the visitor it is a great value for the price paid and for the villager who provides the service, it is good income! The ‘Home-stay’ concept could be a viable alternative and a strong contributor towards achieving the targeted numbers to meet the goals stipulated by the government by 2016 with far less efforts, while allowing the benefit of growing tourist numbers to directly contribute to the income of local communities. Since foreign visitors seek out ‘home-stay’ options in order to sample authentic rural life in a country, this type of tourism experience will also help to safeguard the village way of life, since maintaining the status quo has a direct bearing on bringing in foreign visitors. Voluntourism or Volunteer Tourism is travel which includes volunteering for a charitable cause. This can be a worthy facet of community tourism. Whilst some volunteers may spend all their holidays doing community service others may spend part of it for such purposes and use the balance time for regular holidaying. South East Asia, especially countries of the Indochina region receives a considerable number of tourists in this segment and numbers continue to grow annually. Poor, deserving communities gain many benefits from such volunteer groups. For some groups, it has become an annual practice to visit a country and make their contributions in this manner. Sri Lanka, the Green Destination– In the promotion of Green Tourism, Sustainable tourism, Guilt free travel etc. singularly or collectively what they mean, Sri Lanka made some trend setting initiatives ahead of many other destinations in this sphere. Such efforts should not be one-off and short lived and fade away when the person or persons who initiated these concepts retire from the organization, but continue with new leaders to produce desired effects. More impetus towards carbon neutrality, nation-wide awareness on Climate change, cleaner and greener surroundings will remain a talking point of visitors whose word of mouth advertising can go a long way in travel decisions to a destination and Sri Lanka should not withdraw from the good practices it started. Emphasis by way of more awards and rewards to the industry for greener practices and inclusions in hotel classifications by way of additional points could encourage the industry in this regard. By Kumar Senaratne (Kumar is a former President of Ceylon Hotel School Graduate’s Association and Kandy Hotelier’s Association and has led many CSR initiatives in Community Tourism, Climate Change and Youth Employment that won international awards. He could be reached at kumarsenaratne@gmail.com).

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Sri Lanka tops charts for UK tourists – Times of London

Sri Lanka is becoming one of the most popular long-haul destinations from the UK, according to The Times of London newspaper.

In an article published on 25 August 2010 titled ‘Sri Lanka tops the charts for UK tourists on a bargain hunt’ the influential paper says that visits from the UK increased by 51 per cent last month compared with 2009, encouraged by big discounting by airlines and hoteliers striving to win back business.

The story explains that the British travel boom to Sri Lankan is due to “the relative calm restored after decades of bombings and bloody battles with the Tamil Tigers and devastation caused by the tsunami in 2004.”

The Times says that one British-based specialist long-haul tour operator, Hayes and Jarvis, reports that bookings for winter and next summer are also up.

The paper adds that some of the best deals for British holidaymakers can be found at the five-star Heritance Ahungalla – designed by the celebrated Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa – one of the best beach hotels in the country.

The total number of tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka went up 50 percent to 63,339 in July 2010, compared to the corresponding period in the previous year, according to figures released by Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. In July 2009 only 42,223 tourists arrived in Sri Lanka.

The tourism office figures showed an increase in the number of arrivals from Western Europe, South Asia, East Asia, Middle East and North America in July 2010.

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka increased by 48.4% during the first half of 2010 (January-June), with a total of 278,652 arrivals to the country in comparison to 187,729 arrivals during the same period last year (2009).

Sri Lanka was recently ranked as the number one tourist destination by the 'New York Times' in its list of "31 Places to go in 2010".

Just days after this ranking, a leading lifestyle web resource, Daily Candy, weighed in with a similarly enthusiastic travel recommendation, praising Sri Lanka as “the best place ever been”.
The United Kingdom recently stated that it is no longer advising its citizens against travel to Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaittivu and Vavuniya.

Commenting on changes to the UK Government’s official advice on travel to Sri Lanka, Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) stated, ‘regarding to Jaffna Peninsula: there is free movement everywhere outside High Security Zones with a reduction in checkpoints around the Peninsula’.

USA and Germany too recently relaxed travel advisories. The German Embassy said that a long standing travel advisory had been eased enabling German tourists to visit earlier restricted locations such as Yala National Park and Arugam Bay.

Courtesy:priu.gov.lk

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Explore Sri Lanka - A Top Holiday Destination For any Budget

Sri Lanka has a whole host of options for the traveller, from lying on a picture postcard beach to scaling great rocks and seeking out ancient cities. There are impressive landscapes to take in, friendly Buddhist monks to talk to, and free-roaming monkeys to keep an eye on. In keeping with its range of sights and activities, it offers holidays for an array of budgets: five star hotels and spas for those looking for luxury, and cheap guest houses style accommodation among the locals for those wanting to experience an authentically Sri Lankan reality. 

Explore the City of Colombo

Colombo is a functioning city, often moving at a frenetic pace, with fascinating sectors to discover. The district of Fort is the historic centre and boasts a number of old colonial buildings, which look classical and attractive next to more modern structures. To the east of Fort is the bazaar district - a bustling sector full of market stalls and small shops selling a wide variety of goods which can provide the traveller with a genuinely Sri Lankan experience.

Typically, tourists only stay in Colombo for a couple of days before moving further along the coast, or travelling inland to visit the ancient cities, but if tours of ancient cultures or finding the ideal beach aren't foremost on the agenda, Colombo has a great deal to offer in the way of really seeing a different side to Sri Lanka, and is worth exploring, either on foot or by tuk tuk.

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Visit the Cultural Triangle

Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle is the name given to a selection of cultural and archeological sites which are markers of an ancient and rich civilisation. These are located at the ancient cities of Anuradhapura and Kandy, the medieval capital of Polonnaruwa, the Cave Temples of Dambulla, and the famous 200 m outcrop of rock at Sigiriya - the Lion Rock.

See the Esala Perahera in Kandy

If you find yourself in Sri Lanka at the end of July and the beginning of August, you may be in time for theperahera - a grand parade with elaborate costumes and a long procession of elephants, held in the town of Kandy. The festival is Buddhist in origin and is thought to have begun in the 4th century A.D., when what is called the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha was taken to Sri Lanka from India by Princess Hemamala.

Sri Lankan legend tells that when the Buddha was cremated, his left canine tooth was taken from the pyre and passed on to the king, to become a royal possession. The belief took hold that whoever held the Sacred Tooth Relic had the divine right to reign over that land. The legend has it that Sri Lanka was chosen as its home due to the Lord Buddha's declaration that his religion would be safe in this country for two and a half thousand years.

Read on 

Luxury Hotel Destinations in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka boasts a number of upmarket and unique hotels for the discerning globetrotter. Current trends show an increase in boutique hotels catering to wealthy tourists.

The perahera lasts for days and is counted as one of the world's more spectacular street festivals. Those wanting to see the perahera should claim their roadside spots early in the day and be prepared to sit there until the parade begins in the evening.

Traditional Kandy, Town of Temples

Kandy, where the monkeys are swinging from the trees, offers an utterly alternative experience to that of Colombo. A quieter, less industrial town, it is home to an abundance of temples and is more likely to capture the heart and eye of the traveller.

Sri Lanka's Beaches

It is generally agreed that the north east coast has the whitest sand to offer, but there are beautiful beaches to be found all around the island, and the south, in particular, has some picturesque stretches of coast to be stumbled upon.

Certain beaches are affiliated, or belong to, resorts or hotels, but it is also still possible to find a small, uninhabited beach simply by traveling along the coast and talking to the locals. Visitors can easily find themselves offered accommodation with a family who live next to the sea through something like a chance encounter at Colombo railway station. Although most of the locals are friendly, it is wise to exercise caution and a policy the more trustworthy with a room to let have is to carry books, filled with photographs and the handwritten testimonies of previous visitors.

One island-wide factor tourists must be aware of before booking any tickets is that Sri Lanka has two monsoon seasons and the tourist season is considered to be the period between these rainy onslaughts. This is November to April - the driest season - in the hills and on the south west coast. For those aiming to visit the east coast, May to September is considered the best time as this is when it's dry. Which part of the island you visit will, eventually, probably depend on when you want to go but for those who are eager to explore Sri Lanka, there is the assurance that there will be an ideal part of the country for any time of year.

Read more at Suite101: Explore Sri Lanka - A Top Holiday Destination For any Budget http://sri-lanka-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/exploring-sri-lanka#ixzz0tiZ9VXTx

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Middle East Tourists Flock To Sri Lanka As H1 2010 Tourist Arrivals Surge 102%

Ms Heba Al Mansoori, Middle East Director of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau

12 July 2010
"Sri Lanka emerging as a destination of choice for discerning Arab travellers" - Ms Al MansooriSri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau's (SLTPB) Middle East office reported an enormous surge of Arab travellers as Middle East Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka rose by an unprecedented 102 per cent in the first six months of 2010 compared to the same period last year, according to statistics compiled by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.

"Regardless of apprehensions of an unsteady global economy, Middle East's discerning travellers are spending time and money on travel and Sri Lanka has been one of the preferred destinations of choice with a meteoric rise in tourists during H1 2010," observed Ms Heba Al Mansoori, Middle East Director of SLTPB.

"We have just closed in on the results of the first six months of 2010 and we're up 102% as compared to H1 2009," Ms Al Mansoori said. "While 2009 was when the recovery process started, with the end of three decades of war, the rebound has been robust and rapid and the recovery is being driven and led by the Middle East with strong growth from key markets including the UAE up by 209%, Saudi Arabia up by 96% and Kuwait up by 50%."

Sri Lanka's tourism industry is resilient and the government is sparing no efforts to revitalize the tourism industry as they recognize that tourism has a key role to play in the country's economic recovery and stability.

"Our outlook remains positive for the rest of the year as we have successfully built a relationship of trust with both regional consumers and the travel trade and will continue to reap benefits with the gradually improving economic situation," Ms Al Mansoori stated.

Apart from the Middle East, regions that proved to be a major source market for Sri Lanka and recorded growth in H1 2010 included North America (up by 70%), Western Europe (up by 45%), Eastern Europe (up by 22%), Africa (up by 18%), East Asia (up by 44%), South Asia (up by 53%) and Australasia (up by 44%).

While commenting on SLTPB's Middle East marketing drive, Ms. Al Mansoori said, "We have had to adapt to the changing needs of the consumers and capitalize on trends such as late booking, increasing use of the internet to look and book by increasing Sri Lanka's presence in the web domain regionally."

Ms. Al Mansoori noted that in the Middle East in particular, travelling closer and for shorter periods of time and demanding value for money, seem to have been accentuated during the post crisis period. "The regional outbound market is evolving and inescapably requires changes as we need to know and understand consumers better to be able to market to them," she said.

SLTPB opened its office in Dubai in May 2008 to maximize the opportunities emerging throughout the Middle East while strengthening support for the travel trade in the region. Since then the Dubai office has co-ordinated all of Sri Lanka's tourism promotional activities in the Arab markets including exhibition participation, marketing visits, presentations and road shows, brochure distribution, public relations, as well as familiarization visits to the island for influential business and travel journalists. The office also functions as the preliminary contact point and enquiry processing centre for travel trade companies and tourists in the region.

Sri Lanka is now on the threshold of developing to its full potential as a prime tourism destination with diverse offerings for members of the whole family whether it is beaches, shopping, visits to wildlife reserves, relaxing at a spa, or simply enjoying the cuisine.

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Sri Lanka: The teardrop paradise

I am woken in the middle of the night by the silence. A world away from the all-night bustle that is the bus stop outside our London flat, I have been disturbed by the absence of noise. When I step on to the veranda, the night sky is crowded with stars, the Moon is a sliver and the hills that surround our cottage are lost in darkness.

They are back in the morning, edges blurred by early mist but stretching out as far as the eye can see. Karan, our houseman, says you can see the sea on a clear day but not today. Wildflower Cottage sits in the middle of hundreds of acres of tea, a tiny remnant of Rule Britannia, surrounded by terraces of sturdy green bushes on the slopes of Sri Lanka’s hill country.

The tragedies that have afflicted this teardrop-shaped island off India’s southeast coast are well documented. Three decades of civil war have left deep scars on Sri Lanka and her people while the 2004 tsunami brought fresh wounds. It is little wonder that tourists have stayed away.

But following the end of the war a year ago, visitors are returning to Sri Lanka, perhaps unable to resist her wonderful array of beaches, jungle and culture. The figures tell the story: Visitor numbers were up 60 per cent (year on year) last February — and even The New York Times has picked Sri Lanka as its No 1 holiday destination for 2010.

Into the suburbs
Many will come for the beaches and surf culture of the west coast, flitting between the laid-back Hikkaduwa, charms of Bentota and newly spruced up Unawatuna and Mirissa down south. But after an overnight stop by the Indian Ocean, we ignored the draw of the sea and headed inland.

Early indications were not auspicious. Our trip had begun in Colombo, the least prepossessing in a long line of cities that have been Sri Lanka’s capital. From the airport, the hour’s drive south took us through indistinguishable suburbs, with an accompanying tinnitus of bus horns (low, persistent and bone-shaking) and revving trishaws (high, persistent and eardrum-shattering).

But on the ocean’s edge, the Galle Face Hotel, still proffering a splendidly stiff upper lip, welcomed us in.

That evening we watched kite-fliers on Galle Face Green before repairing to the hotel’s famous chequerboard terrace for a Hollywood sunset.

The following day, it took five hours to reach Haputale (5,000 feet above sea level), on the southern edge of the hill country. But it felt much longer.

Our minibus driver had taken the hairpins without feeling the need for brakes or, indeed, any element of the Highway Code.

Here, the rules have been simplified: Horn-blowing and overtaking on a blind corner are mandatory, trishaws and cyclists can be run off the road without a backward glance and red (state-run) buses stop for nothing, even if — in fact, especially if — they are careering towards you on the wrong side of the road.

We arrived at the narrow, stony track to Wildflower Cottage, feeling as though we had survived a prolonged ride on an Alton Towers rollercoaster — which served to make the magical scene unfolding before us even more wonderful.

Waiting on the steps, Karan, in white dhoti and jacket, smiled broadly and offered us cold towels to wipe the fear off our faces before we were led down a stone path, bordered by irises, snapdragons and impatiens, to Wildflower Cottage. It sits on the edge of the escarpment, 5,000 feet up, looking out at an unimpeded view of valleys, lakes and jungle.

The building is one of three green-roofed, time-capsule bungalows on the estate (the others are Rose Cottage and Aerie Cottage) but each lies in splendid isolation in its own grounds and is looked after by its houseman.

Old-school attraction
Inside, the living room has chintz, a fireplace and Reader’s Digests from 1963. The only thing missing was a flagpole. Outside is The View. From our two terraces, we sit and watch the plantation come to life each morning as the women tea-pickers appear on the terraces below.

It is a silent occupation, with hardly a word exchanged between the workers, so, often, our breakfast is accompanied only by the sound of thumbs and fingers plucking the perfect bud and two leaves from the bushes.

There are no telephones, no televisions, no internet and no mobile-phone trills.

If we need anything, we have a handbell to ring. Karan told us solemnly that each cottage was equipped with a different-sounding bell to avoid confusion.

We rang ours only once, hugely embarrassed to be making a fuss, and discovered that it clanged like a school bell.

We are fed by Stanley, the cook from Kandy (another former capital of Sri Lanka). He appears each morning, in kitchen whites and a chef’s hat, to ask what we would like for dinner. And each evening to ask what we would have for breakfast.

There is much negotiation and head-waggling on Stanley’s part but we usually plump for the national dish of rice and curry.

This entails a spread of six or seven dishes, including sambol (grated coconut with red chillis and onions), chicken curry, brinjal fry (deep-fried aubergine, simmered in coconut milk with chillis and spices), snake gourd curry, sliced okra with mustard seeds, pumpkin curry (all vegetables fresh from the garden) and sublime dhal (red lentils flavoured with garlic, coconut, chilli and ghee). All this — plus nursery-style crème caramel or pineapple cake — cost us about a fiver a head.

Our days are spent lolling on the veranda and talking but we managed to extricate ourselves from the depths of the sofa to visit the Dambatenne Tea Factory, built by Sir Thomas Lipton (he of the yellow labels) in 1890.

When we arrived for a guided tour, full production had yet to begin for the day but it meant that better-informed tourists had stayed away and we had the place to ourselves.

We saw the fresh tea leaves emptied out of the pickers’ sacks to be air-dried in “withering trays” and inhaled the green, peppery scent as they were piled into vast troughs.

Unchanged tradition
The smells changed and darkened as the process — which has remained unchanged for more than 100 years — wound down through the lower floors.

Here the leaves are twisted, chopped and chopped again, sifted, dried in wood-fired ovens, graded and shovelled into paper sacks for despatch.

After the visit, we felt honour-bound to find Lipton’s Seat, a famous viewpoint frequented by Mr Tealeaf himself, and walked the last mile or so when the route defeated even the intrepid trishaw driver.

On another day, we travelled to the pretty little village of Ella to see Rawana Ella waterfall, an 82-feet torrent. Low rainfall meant it was not in full spate but it gave us the chance to clamber over rocks and dip our feet in its icy waters without being washed away.

We were pursued by touts offering us pieces of coloured glass and other tat but escaped to join a family of four Sri Lankans in the natural pool.

They were, they told us, on holiday too and swam fully clothed while we hovered at the edge. Later, they unpacked suitcases and did their washing in the clear water, with a bar of Sunlight soap.

That night, it was cool enough for a fire. Karan brought wood and a coconut shell of kerosene.
It felt surreal after the heat of the day — a constant 30 degrees.

On the last morning, we had to paint our own nameboard — a Wildflower Cottage tradition — and nail it up on the big signpost alongside those produced by other blissed-out customers.

But we were too busy standing and staring.

Still no sea on the horizon but I have no doubt we will see it next time. We can wait.

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An Enthralling And Exploring Tour To Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a beautiful country situated in South Asia. Owing to neighbor country of India it has similarity of culture, language and religion with it. Sri Lanka is renowned for its production of tea, coconut, rubber and coffee. These productions contribute much in its economy. Real beauty of nature in the form of forests, sea life, wild life and beaches can be experienced by cheap Flights to Sri Lanka. Moreover, Sri Lanka has strong cultural, religious and architectural importance. Historical places like Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Mihintale, Dambulla, are much significant from touristic point of view. Ancient civilization and culture of Sri Lanka can be directly observed by visiting these historical places by making a reservation in Sri Lanka flights.

Festivals in Sri Lanka
Like many countries Sri Lankan also celebrate many festivals. Most prominent of these festivals are Esala Perahera, Patti Pongal, Deepavali, and Thai Pongal. Esala Perahera is remarkable festival celebrated in Sri Lanka. Buddhist celebrates this festival with great zeal and zest. They organize dances and adorn elephants.Fire, kandian, whip and several cultural dances are extraordinary.

Safari in Sri Lanka:
Practicing wild life safaris in prominent and famous national parks of Sri Lanka by Sri Lanka flights is a great fun. These wild lives include elephant, leopard, bear, monkey, golden jackal etc. By camping in these parks you can closely and personally observe the wild life. Besides wild life, sea life also leaves a spell on its visitors. Sea creations like Whales and Dolphins can be seen at Dondra point by Flights to Sri Lanka.

Sports:
Though national sport is volleyball, but the most fastidious and popular sport is cricket in Sri Lanka. You can also enjoy many exciting aquatic sports such as swimming, scuba driving boating and surfing on beaches by cheap flights to Sri Lanka. Football, tennis and athletics are also mostly watchable sports here. Aquatic sports attracts every year a huge throng of visitors not only from Sri Lanka but also from other countries.

Beaches and valleys:
Explore and enjoy the sight of worlds remarkable beaches by flights Sri Lanka. Green water, cold breezes, palm trees and elegant atmosphere will leave an everlasting impact on you. Sri Lanka is also marked with eye catching valleys which are deep, green, soothing and widely visited. Flights to Sri Lanka will lead you to these fastidious beaches and valleys.http://www.srilankaflights.org.uk/

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In Sri Lanka we got everything in on place - Salman Khan

Bolywood actor Salman Khan says that he changed the location of his next film ‘Ready’ from Mauritius to Sri Lanka due to the island’s unique combination of breathtaking beauty, infrastructure and warm, hospitable people.

He disclosed this at a media briefing held in Colombo yesterday with the objective of creating awareness for Salman Khan’s latest movie, ‘Ready’.

“This place, as far as film making is concerned, is ideal. We go to Switzerland, Maldives, Seychelles, hill stations, interior villages, etc.”

“We go to different locations which are places where there is grandeur, beauty and forests. So we go to these places because we don’t get everything in one country.)

“Just imagine if we got everything in one place?| which is about two hours away from India. Everybody would want to come here,” said Salman Khan.

Meanwhile, south Indian actress turned Bollywood actress Asin expressed her views on Sri Lanka.

“Sri Lanka reminds me a lot of home and I’m from the state of Kerala. Whenever I land here I do not feel like I’m in a foreign country. And I think all of you have been very warm and welcoming,” said Asin.

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Chaaya Blu - Trincomalee Sri Lanka

Chaaya Blu, a John Keells Hotel that opened in Trincomalee earlier this month, has pioneered star class tourism on Sri Lanka s awakening East Coast with an 80-room luxury resort entailing a Rs. 450 million investment.

The previous Club Oceanic s 56 rooms have been expanded into 80 and given a new look and theme with an extensive refurbishment, with the property offering guests four-star comfort and breathtaking views on a prime location with whale and dolphin watching added to other seaside holiday attractions.

`We re sold out for the Vesak weekend, a company spokesperson said. ``The May deadline for re-opening the hotel has been met.

Asked whether the hotel is also being patronized by foreign tourists, the spokesperson said `Our sales people tell us that about 40% of the guests are tourists. It will quietly build up.

Chaaya Blu Trincomalee joins a group five other four-star resorts in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, the owners said.

This hotel is the first sizeable investment seen on the East Coast following the dawn of peace and will meet the demand for quality accommodation with the increasing inflow of tourists into that area.

The John Keells Group owns 40 acres of beachfront land at Nilaveli with development of this property part of its future plans. While the construction of new hotels in the East is very much in the pipeline, actual building has not yet started.

`We take pride in launching a resort of the calibre of Chaaya Blu, a first of its kind on the East Coast, within a mere year of gaining peace in Sri Lanka. It was a much rewarding challenge, given that we can now offer our guests the opportunity to discover and savour all that is truly unique to the East Coast while staying amidst star class comforts,` Jayantissa Kehelpannala, Executive Vice-President of Keells Hotels said.

The project, one of the first investment decisions taken by John Keells upon the dawn of peace in May last year, and acted upon almost soon after, as the industry itself had previously been restrained in investing in East Coast tourism.

`With Chaaya Blu Trincomalee we continue to be tourism trendsetters,` says Deputy Chairman of John Keells Holdings Ajit Gunewardene. `It is not merely with pride but also with a sense of responsibility that we believe the success of this launch will create confidence towards attracting more tourism development on the East Coast.`

With over three decades experience in the tourism industry, JKH, an undisputed industry leader in the hospitality industry, has added fillip to a part of the country which has for long not had much development given the constraints it faced.

`And with the dawn of peace and the realization that there was a dearth of a resort conforming to international standards in Trincomalee, we made a decision to quickly cement our presence on the east coast,` Gunawardene said.

He pointed that a 1970s property has been completely modernized with unique contemporary architecture, features and facilities, adding a new dynamic to Sri Lankan resorts as a whole.

`We ve got a stylish retro-chic product at Chaaya Blu that will set trends in modern resort interiors being outside the typical Sri Lankan resort design,` he said.

The owners brought in the skills of master architect Channa Daswatte to imbue the unique blues of the Trincomalee sea and the whites of the sand into the double arched design of the property.

The hotel has 80 rooms including 20 chalets and two suites complementing the Trincomalee landscape. The combination of a series of bleached wooden decks encircles the periphery of the property and a timber boardwalk protrudes across the reception area onto the beach and into the sea.

The beach chalets sell for Rs. 20,000 nett with full board per night and the superior rooms on full board double at Rs. 16,000.

Mosaic walls with strategically placed disco balls in the foyer and denim upholstered mid-century Scandinavian limed furniture accessorized by white dipped terra cotta tiles and clay lamps gives a touch of the Caribbean to the property.

``However much of the promise of the resort seems to involve showcasing the wondrous offerings of Trincomalee itself which have remained long inaccessible for most, Sri Lankans included, the owners noted.

``Another raison d etre that makes Chaaya Blu special is the abundant sightings of blue whales which now complete a triad of whale sighting locations in Sri Lanka, collectively spanning eight months of the year.

Kehelpannala explains `This seaside retreat, with its superior rooms, beach chalets, restaurants and bars is an open invite to enjoy the Blu to its fullest. The hotel has a dedicated excursion centre as well as a PADI certified diving centre to enable our guests to make the most of some of the best dive spots in Asia, go snorkeling around Pigeon Island, join a whale and dolphin watching expedition or embark on exciting and insightful tours in to the yet unexplored locality.`

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A Cultural Rediscovery-II

If a cook merely boiled some white or red rice and offered it you, you would eat it if you were very, very hungry, right? But it would be basically flat and tasteless. On the other hand, if the cook added some turmeric to it, some peppercorns, cardamoms, cloves, a stick of cinnamon, some pieces of rampe [Pandanus latifolia], a few leaves of karapincha [Murraya Koenigii], and some salt; then tempered it with some sliced big onions in sizzling coconut oil and added it to the rice (your salivary glands are already working overtime), the aromas from that dish of rice and the taste would be out-of-this-world, right? You’d also eat it with gusto. If I were to stray into the realm of our curries this would become more of a culinary article. Our culture or the composite Sri Lankan culture is something like this analogy about the spiced rice.

There’s no gainsaying the fact that in the urban centres the inhabitants enjoy the astonishing variety of our cuisine represented by the Sonahar [Moor] godhamba-rotti with mutton curry made of lots of coriander and coconut milk; or the Tamil masala thosai with shambar and ulundhu-vaddai; or lampries baked in a banana-leaf; or rice with pol-sambola and kiri-hodhi (aanang). Each, in its inimitable way, is a treat to be savoured. On the other hand, if it was merely rice with pol-sambola and kiri-hodhi, everyday and everywhere, that would be very, very boring. This is just one aspect of our mutually-shared and enjoyed culture. Our attractiveness lies, hopefully, in our profoundly enduring diversity

When it comes to sweetmeats we have the unique bibikkan [or bolo de coco] or coconut cake made from coconut jaggery, rice flour, and a bouquet of spices; then the Flemish dough cake or Breudher [Broeder] beloved of the Burghers; Kalu dhodhol with embedded cashew nuts vies for place with bright crimson or amber yellow maskat; and then, from Jaffna, Kolukaddai and Seeni Ariyatharam. The sheer variety of home-made food and beverage is exhausting. Who hasn’t enjoyed Chicken Buriyani or Ghee Rice; Malay beef curry or Nasi Goreng?

There are an entire gamut of religious and secular cultural festivals and festive occasions celebrated in and outside homes with friends and family such as ‘Magula’ or the wedding, the Devana Gamana—Maha Magula three day’s later, Aluth Avuruddha or New Year, Vadiviya Pamineema or Coming-of-age, Kath Bandi Magula, Aluth Sahal Mangalaya, Kiri Ammalage Dana, Maha Shivarathri, Navarathri, Thai Pongal, Id-ul-Fitr or Ramazan, Id-ul-Azha or Hajj, Ka-Muruthal, Nikkah, and so on. Each is different in the various regions of the country. The Sonahar and the Malays, though both following Islam, have different ceremonies and ways in which these are celebrated or commemorated. The Christian community largely celebrates Christmas and Easter and the Catholics of Negombo have their Passion play on Duwa Island.

All segments of the population have different types of music and dance: The Sinhalese have three classical dance forms—the Kandyan, Sabaragamuva and the Ruhunu; the Tamils have the classical Bharata Natyam, the Burghers their Kaffiringha Baila with its toe-tapping rhythms and humourous lyrics. The miniscule Kaffir community has its Manga (pron. ‘manja’) with tambourines, coconut shells, bottles and spoons.

All of this is enjoyed by everyone unless there are some few brooding Cassandra-like bigots decrying the polyglot nature of Sri Lankan culture.

In the realm of language, Sri Lankans have adopted hundreds, if not, thousands of words, from all over the world. Here’s a representative sample of loan-words: Raban, sarong, sampan (Malay); Kapiri, marakkal, arrack (Arabic); kokis, piscaal, kakkussiya, kantoruva (Dutch); pipigna, baila, sumbaraya, sappathu, pigana, mesaya, sabang, saala, saya, tombuva, beeralu-renda, nauv (Portuguese), Amma, appa, aiya, akka, kannadi, kottai, mudaliyar, aiyo, manna, kasi, aanang, thakkali, katamaran, adi, gova (Tamil), Aappa, idiappa (Malayalam; Kankung, rickshaw, ayah (Chinese); Deshaya, grama sevaka, sangeeth, devi (Hindi); Kochiya, enigma, club, bus, tyre, cricket, bistek, rosa, nombara (English), Praja-tantra, shalya-karma, chaya-rupa, surya-balaya, trasta-vadaya, harda-spandana, parigana-kaya, vag-vidya, and rupa-vahini (Sanskrit). This list could go on and on and what it means is that these words have been seamlessly integrated into the everyday language, enriching it immeasurably. Many plants, herbs and fruit trees were introduced and bear their original names sometimes slightly modified to suit our speech patterns—rambutan, mangus, durian, biling, kambaranga, beetroot, rabu, karrot, manyokka, gova, thakkali, pappol, minchi, saldiri, saladha and so on.

What all this and more demonstrates is that we Sri Lankans have more things in common with each other and the countries around us that we should have no difficulty whatsoever in thinking of ourselves as Sri Lankans FIRST and whatever else afterwards. If we look back objectively we’ll find that our troubles began with ‘communal’ representation and the subsequent jockeying for the power to command and control. That’s where this ‘majoritarian’ business came in. The European theory of ‘Aryan superiority’ propounded by Arthur Joseph Comte de Gobineau and later by his disciple, Houston Stewart Chamberlain, gained ardent converts here who believed that because the Sinhalese spoke an Indo-Aryan language that they were racially ‘Aryans.’ But the whole ‘Indo-Aryan’ theory was about language and not about race—but the damage had been done and its bloodiest manifestation was the race terror during the Nazi Era.

The politicians of almost a hundred years ago (not quite) bought this specious theory and used it to further their agendas in both the North and the South. The insecure Northerners became the ‘victims’ and the Southerners raised the bogey of their domination through the bureaucracy. The tom-tom beating began in earnest with ‘race,’ ‘language,’ and ‘religion’ as the rallying cries and both sides were equally guilty of fanning the flames of hatred, distrust, and separatism. We must collectively kill this and bury it, especially so when the Mahinda Rajapakse Government is talking to the political leaders of the Tamil National Alliance in the hopes of reaching a modus operandi or ‘way of working together’ towards a full and final reconciliation even though the wounds may take a couple of generations to heal thoroughly. Let us all pray that this will happen.

Biologically, the inhabitants of this Island have more genes in common with each other and nothing to prove that any segment of the population is either superior or inferior to another. Therefore, if there are so many factors that conduce towards an overarching unity why should we keep on quibbling about ‘ethnic’ rights instead of arguing about fundamental human rights for all? Why do we want to perpetuate ethno-religious representation that divides rather than unites? These arguments are irrational and illogical. We must wake-up to ground realities after over three decades of bloody, murderous war in which over an estimated 100,000 died. Those deaths and the many thousands still living in our midst without limbs, eyesight and other grave disabilities should tell us in unequivocal terms that there can be no more bloodletting. If ‘ethnicity’ or ‘language’ or ‘religion’ were at the bottom of it we should take a long, hard look at ourselves and ask the question: "Was it worth it?" This question should be asked in Point Pedro and in Devinuvara, in Batticaloa as well as Colombo. This is the only piece of Planet Earth that we could all call "Home" and we must learn to live within that home peacefully without trampling each other’s ‘tails.’ One could well ask the question: "Why the hell can’t we or are we all a bunch of air-headed morons?" Seriously, the Tamil Union, the Sinhalese Sports Club, the BRC and the Malay Cricket Club should all be able to play friendly 50-over matches or even Test Matches in the real spirit of the game and we don’t need some woolly-headed ideologue telling us that it is an imperialist imposition. We must learn to play the game all over again in the spirit of brotherhood and camaraderie and repair the tears in the tapestry of Sri Lanka—otherwise, we’ll have to paraphrase the words of a melancholic song and sing: "Don’t Cry for Me—Sri Lanka."

By J. B. Muller

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Tagore's influence on Lankan culture and aesthetics

Rabindranath Tagore wrote the national anthems of two countries, India and Bangladesh. But he deeply influenced the words and music of a third, the Lankan national anthem, 'Sri Lanka Matha'.
The anthem was written and composed by Ananda Samarakoon, most probably in 1939-40, while he was Tagore’s disciple at Visva-Bharathi University. Samarakoon’s first Shantiniketan stint ended after six months but it was inspiring enough for him to return and begin the first traditions of a unique Sinhalese music.

"There’s a close relation between the Indian and the Sri Lankan national anthems. It is original but styled on Rabindrasangeet (the poet’s body of songs); it could be called a sister song," KMA Bandara of the Tagore Society of Sri Lanka, formed in the late 1940s, said.

Tagore’s last of three visits to Sri Lanka was in 1934 when he came with his troupe and staged the dance drama `Sapmochon’ in Colombo’. In the audience was SWRD Bandaranaike – later to be prime minister – who wrote a critique of the performance for the Ceylon Daily News.

Tagore’s play was "indeed memorable" Bandaranaike wrote, adding "If any movement is started to send some pupils to study music and dancing at Shantiniketan, I for one will be ready to contribute my mite."

During the visit, besides giving lectures, Tagore laid the foundation stone of the Sripalee College in a place called Horana. "It was modeled on the university in Shantiniketan and focused on the fine arts. It has now changed into a normal college. But the University of Aesthetic Studies was inspired out of it," Bandara said.

Under "Gurudev’s" influence, society secretary, Dr Leel Gunasekera said, many leading artists of the day – drama artist Sarathchandra, music maestros Samarakoon and Amaradeva and the great dancer Chitrasena just to name a few -- dropped their Portuguese-influenced names and adopted Sinhalese ones. Many went to Shantiniketan to fine-tune their artistic talents.

The Society got together last week to modestly observe Tagore’s birth anniversary with Rabindrasangeet, skits and a lecture on the "cultural message Tagore gave us". Clearly, it went beyond dropping names.

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