Tsunami affected southern hoteliers to WTM

A team of tsunami affected hoteliers from the south – thanks to the efforts of the FCCISL Back to Business project -- would be attending the World Travel Mart in UK from November 6-9 in a bid to promote the region including Kalutara district as a premier tourism destination.

“This is the first time that an entire province in Sri Lanka is being promoted as a unique tourism destination at an international event.

The tourism and leisure sector has got a double blow from the tsunami and the escalating violence. Bringing tsunami affected hoteliers to the forefront is important, to convey to the world that Sri Lanka has fully recovered and is now better than the pre-tsunami period,” said Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) Back to Business Project Director Sam Stembo. The Royal Netherlands government has been the principal donor for the sponsorships amounting to Rs. 2.3 million.

“The multi-faceted resource base of the Southern region has been largely ignored or misrepresented because we only promoted the beaches, nature and cultural aspects in isolation in a piecemeal fashion. Yet the most unique selling point of the Southern coast of Sri Lanka is its ability to provide a ‘total experience’ to a discerning traveller, where a jungle safari is only 2 hours away from a luxurious coral beach. This is the key message we are trying to pitch to the international travel and tourism community that will gather at the WTM,” noted Jetwing Group Managing Director Hiran Cooray who is also President, Tourist Hotels Association.

The Back to Business Team for the World Travel Market UK is led by Cooray and comprises Hotel Oasis Managing Director Asanka Ekanayake from Hambantota, Hibiscus Beach Hotel Managing Director Anil Perera, Riverina Hotel Managing Director Chang Cey Wen, Priyankara Hotel Managing Director P. M. Wickramasekera Tissamaharama, Palm Paradise Cabanas Manager Rohan Wanigasinghe from Tangalle, Peacock Beach Hotel Ltd Sales Director Dulani Nilukshi Guruge from Hambantota, Tissa Inn proprietor Manage Ganesha Siriwardene from Tissamaharamaya, Coral Sands hotel Managing Director Siri Goonawardene from Hikkaduwa and Weligama Bay Beach hotel Director Sampath Pathirana.

Seven hoteliers are sponsored by the Back to Business Project, while three are being sponsored by the Hambantota Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Hoteliers from Kalutara District have also been included in the delegation.

Riverina Hotel Managing Director Chang Cey Wen said that “Although we have not fully recovered from the devastation after the tsunami, the correct image of the country has not been conveyed to the international community.”

The WTM 2006 brings together worldwide buyers and sellers from every sector of the industry. A record breaking 48,211 travel industry professionals participated at WTM 2005 representing 202 countries and regions.