News and Events

'Feel Negombo 2009' poised to delight


From a toddler finding his first steps on the sand to the seasoned traveller looking for sun and fun, to the young and the young at heart, there will be something to experience in Negombo – the feel of a town rich and diverse in culture and waiting to host visitors with the perennial charm that is truly Sri Lankan.

From 11th to 13th Dec   Read more...

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ember 2009 'Feel Negombo 2009' will put the spotlight on this coastal belt north of Colombo just 15 minutes away from the Bandaranaike International Airport. A place of varied interests it will be a wholly new experience for the uninitiated and for those who have visited before Negombo will beat to a new tempo.


2nd International Airport


President Mahinda Rajapaksa, officially launched the Hambanthota International Airport Project on 27th November at Mattala, in close proximity to Hambanthota, a fast developing location in the south of Sri Lanka.

This will be Sri Lanka's 2nd international airport and is designed according to the recommendations of the International Airport and Aviation Orgnization, and is expected to facilitate over 800 international passengers at peak hours. A much needed infrastructure development in these boom times for the leisure and tourism industry.


Alluring moments in the wild


Two of Sri Lanka's most prominent advocates of Eco Tourism and Photography are currently holding an exhibition of their work at the Alliance Francaise, no. 11 Barnes Place, Colombo 07.

The work of Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne and Chitral Jayathilake are on display showcasing to the world the rich bio-diversity of our land; its flora and fauna captured through the lenses of these two avid photographers. Premiered in London in September this year 'Sri Lanka: the Ultimate Island Safari' is an opportunity to all those lovers of wildlife to capture a glimpse of what awaits one in the now possible to explore Safari Parks of this island of a myriad treasures.

Open to public from Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, the exhibition will run till 15th December. No viewing on Sunday’s and admission is free.






A small universe


The German ambassador to Sri Lanka, Jens Uwe Plotner, happy to announce a further relaxation of the travel advisory to Sri Lanka enabling German visitors to travel to the Yala National Park and Arugam Bay said "Now is the time for Sri Lanka to exploit its vast tourism potential by assuring stable and reliable investment-conditions, investing in transport-infrastructure and upgrading existing hotels on the Island, she will be able to once again climb to the top lists of Asian holiday destinations,"

The Ambassador Plotner also went on to say "The wide diversity tourism covers in Sri Lanka range from cultural sites, sunny beaches, tea plantations to wild life and safaris. It indeed is a small universe. The well-established label "Green Lanka" besides is very relevant for tourism. Even during their holidays European tourists are increasingly becoming sensitive to environment-protection and Sri Lanka can develop a real quality-brand!"

Story taken from: www.priu.org.lk


Champion rider chooses Colombo

Four time World Stunt Riding Champion and four time European Champion, German stunt rider Christian Pfeiffer delighted audiences in Colombo on a BMW F800 R. Colombo streets at Town Hall and Parliament Grounds, closed to run the event, drew cheering crowds to witness a world champion athlete here to display his talent in appreciation of the destinations attraction.

Commenting on his trip to Sri Lanka and his exhibition performance a beaming Pfeiffer said "I am very thankful I was able to do a show in Sri Lanka combing my interests in travel with stunt riding. I preferred riding a show in Sri Lanka rather than another in Munich. When I heard about the civil war ending only five months ago I said to myself I want to go there."


Cruising via Sri Lanka

Louis Cruises of India, a part of the worldwide tour operator Louis Cruises Group began operations with its luxury cruise liner, MV Aquamarine from its home port in Kochi yesterday to destinations in Sri Lanka and Maldives.

The tempting invitation is for all those who love the "aquamarine waters off the coast of Sri Lanka". On anchoring in Colombo the tour will "Take a tailor made shore excursion. Drive down the shady tree lined streets to discover the secrets of Colombo – Old Dutch houses with green gables, beautiful Buddhist temples and even an elephant show at the zoo."

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Tourism dons running gear

A country partially paralyzed for over three decades, most of its beauty covered by the ills of terrorism is now back on track and is fast gaining pace as a winning destination.

Arrivals have consistently recorded increases from the previous year’s figures, with the growth level in September this year being at 28.6 per cent: the figure 37,837, a sh   Read more...

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arp rise of over nine thousand over the same month in 2008.The total number of arrivals up to October this year is 346,717 says a communiqué issued by the authorities.

Fred Breummer, a traveler from Canada recounts of his experiences in Sri Lanka, to read the story, click here.
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Designs and designers

‘The Sri Lanka Design Festival’ , a nine day event, is on from 27th of November to 5th December at the Mt.Lavinia Hotel and will showcase to the world, Sri Lanka’s design capabilities, with a particular emphasis on fashion. The event is organized by the Academy of Design (AOD) in association with the Export Development Board (EDB), the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF), Brandix (Pvt) Ltd and the British Council.

Quality apparel, manufactured under the best conditions have earned Sri Lanka’s garment industry acclaim and its ‘Garments without Guilt’ programme has furthered the destinations position as a nation of caring people.

The latest in technology will be on display alongside traditional modes of manufacture. Handlooms, Beeralu Lace and other ethnic wear will also play a role while workshops and lecture sessions will cater to those seeking an in depth knowledge of an industry which has helped put Sri Lanka on the map as a leading producer of world famous brands.

For more on the event visit: www.srilankadesignfestival.com


A nature lover’s paradise

Sophia Huang writes of her experiences in Sri Lanka for Channel News Asia and writes of her wonder on seeing its varied landscape in a descriptive account which speaks of “ Lush forests, tumbling waterfalls and abundant wildlife, Sri Lanka is an alluring destination that has not been damaged by the footprint of tourism…….”

For a first hand account of the locations many attractions click here.

Japanese investors see potential

Japan-Sri Lanka Business Co-operation Community held its 15th joint meeting in Colombo recently under the aegis of its Chairman, Sumitaka Fujitha. Speaking of future investments in Sri Lanka, Mr Fujitha expressed confidence that there would be many large scale investments in post war Sri Lanka.

He said the positive travel advisories in Japan were an encouragement to travel to Sri Lanka and the destination would be more attractive to investors once the de-mining of the North and East is complete. Japanese industrialists, agriculturalists and tourist consultants were interested in and the Government of Japan had given approval for a wide range of enterprises to be set up in Sri Lanka with the dawn of peace.

Addressing a media briefing at the Galadari Hotel he said “Japanese investors are confident in investing in Sri Lanka with a high level of investments.” He also stated that Sri Lanka could be the gateway to the one billion-population market in India and the Japanese private sector was prepared to launch feasible industries in Sri Lanka to achieve such results.


Man and motor on silky sand

Extreme 4 Wheeler Club’s mammoth event for the year took the town of Ragama by storm the week end of 21st and 22nd November. A previously little explored location; Ragama is now famous for its 4 x 4 track and the sand storm event of the year.

The event brought together, some of the finest off road drivers in their high powered vehicles for a time of crazy off the road action and thrills giving both participants and spectators a lot of excitement.


Film locations and abiding impressions

Bridge on the River Kwai, Jungle Book, Indiana Jones, Mother Theresa, Water, Temple of the doom, and Tarzan, the list is long and varied; but they all have one thing in common; all the movies were shot on location in Sri Lanka.

The Tourism Promotion Bureau in its current brand positioning will be using Sri Lanka’s strengths as an ideal film location, having identified the impact of the medium as creating a powerful image in the minds of the viewer. Participating at the South Asia Travel and Tourism Exchange, in partnership with the Film and Television Producers Guild of India, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau was delighted to hear world renowned producer/director Shekhar Kapur say “Sri Lanka is a paradise on earth. One of the very few places still left in its pristine beauty”.

‘Meet in Sri Lanka’ captivates Chennai

Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB), Sri Lankan Airlines and the Meetings Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions sector of Sri Lanka Tourism, made an impact on the Chennai India market presenting destination Sri Lanka’s offer of easy accessibility, state-of-art meeting facilities and the profile of the country with value driven tourism blended with Sri Lankan hospitality.

The campaign ‘Meet in Sri Lanka’ went all the way in holding one on one business meetings, a press conference, an evening function for corporate clientele and tour operators with the Sri Lankan food Festival adding spice and a dance performance by Chandana Wickremesinghe bringing glamour at an event held to capture a strong MICE market.

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Greetings from a united Sri Lanka!

An extract from Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse’s speech will sum up the sentiments of a nation that is just free of a 30-year-old conflict:

I call on all who have left our motherland due to terrorism, especially the Tamil people, to return. I made this request when addressing an Independence commemoration event on an earlier occa   Read more...

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sion, too.

Similarly, I call on our engineers, doctors, accountants and other professions living in various countries abroad, to return to your motherland and contribute to its development.

We have been victorious in facing one challenge. Time is now raising a new challenge before us. It is the challenge of building the motherland. From now all, everyone should change in keeping with the needs of facing up to that challenge, too.


A 30 year conflict has ended and Sri Lanka is rolling out a massive communication campaign and infrastructure projects; preparing to welcome tourists for the upcoming winter season.

There is new hope for Sri Lanka. With the coastlines rebuilt for travellers and plans to develop the North and East of the island following the successful defeat of the LTTE, the time is right for Sri Lanka to reap the benefits of tourism.


From Arugam Bay the ‘Surfer’s Paradise’, to Batticaloa where many cultures meet, going further up the coast to Trincomalee and Nilaveli, where one finds Sri Lanka’s most admired and pristine beaches, infra structure development has begun with a focus on attracting more tourists to these areas.

For long only accessible only to those who dared to defy caution; today these locations are being developed with heightened interest and expectation of a revival in tourism.


As part of Sri Lanka Tourism’s post-conflict plans a local island-wide activation is to be launched this week to draw on the ideas of people in presenting united Sri Lanka to the world.

The programme is intended to bring out the feelings and thoughts of the people on how best destination Sri Lanka should be presented and will be the making of the new brand Sri Lanka now unbroken from coast to coast, joins the peoples of a nation; as they look to a future of promise, of a time to greet visitors from near and far, to this Island, an island of many treasures.

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* Sinhala Tamil New Year a joint celebration
* East beckons
* Nature Culture Adventure in its diversity
* Old friendships renewed and strengthened
* Toastmasters International Conference in Colombo
* Japanese audiences view Sri Lanka


Sri Lankan homes in all parts of the country will unite in one celebration marking the beginning of a new year o   Read more...

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n the 14th of April. A time of festivity, where goodwill prevails and is symbolized by the exchange of gifts and foods unique to each culture, uniting in one common annual celebration, ritualistic and religious observances will epitomize, the common heritage of all groups in one nation.

The beautiful East coast of Sri Lanka beckons visitors with beautiful pristine beaches, and a world renowned surfer’s paradise - Arugam Bay, Pasikudah, Nilaveli places etched in the hearts and minds of those who have journeyed East.

A revival programme will see many investments in the region to bring out the best of the locations offer. A treat awaits both the local traveler and the visiting tourist. Once again the Kinniya hot wells, the Kallady beach, the Batticaloa Dutch Fort, the Kalkudah Railway and the Batticaloa Bay are beckoning; the people are pensive and smiling, eagerly awaiting visitor arrivals and a surge in economic activity. The North East Coastal Community Development Project is assigned under foreign funded tourism projects to undertake development of these key tourism attractions.

Sri Lanka’s unique offer of nature culture adventure, all accessible in the short span of a couple of hours drive, was presented to the Gulf Region last week.
From Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam in Saudi Arabia to Kuwait, Sri Lanka was showcased to a large and admiring audience of middle easterners and expatriates living in the region. The campaign was led by Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister for Tourism Faizer Musthapha. Organized by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and with the involvement of tour operators and in association with SriLankan Airlines, the roadshow conveyed a strong and united message of the destinations myriad attractions and the many offers available to a public interested in traveling to Sri Lanka.

Guangzhou, Shenzen and Tianjin, major cities in China, were treated to a glimpse of the Sri Lankan tourism offer and hospitality industry recently.

In Tianjin, where over 400 students are currently attending Tianjin Medical University, the promotional activities and the excellent diplomatic relations between the Mayor Huang Xingguo and Ambassador Amunugama have resulted in facilitating further specialized training for medical officers of the Cancer Hospital in Sri Lanka, at Tianjin Medical University.

Mayor Huang Xingguo invited Sri Lanka Tourism to participate at EXPO 2010, to present destination Sri Lanka’s distinctive tourism offer to the Chinese traveler.

The Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall in Colombo will be the venue for ‘Ovation – 2009’ – Toastmasters International Conference on 22nd May with educational sessions being conducted at the Mount Lavinia Hotel.

With its presence in 91 countries through 10,500 clubs and over 225,000 members; Toastmasters are committed to the development of Communication and Leadership skills at all levels in ‘People Development’.

World president elect of Toastmasters International Ms. Pat Johnson will attend the conference, where over 600 delegates are expected to participate. Clubs in Sri Lanka have combined with clubs in India to form District 82 of Toastmasters International, comprising in total around 140 clubs. District 82 will hold its first Conference in Sri Lanka between May 22nd and 24th, 2009.

The scenic Madu Ganga, stilt fishing, turtles, Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, coconut fiber goods manufacture and an elephant dung paper processing were some of the highlights of a week long tour undertaken by `Monki-ki san` of Japanese TV.
The programme telecast in Japan, gave an insight to the tourism offer in Sri Lanka, to an eager audience. Renowned Japanese writer Ms. Sachiyo Imase said of the programme “I watched the TV programme today, it was a nice approach to introduce Sri Lanka. Tawashi story (the coconut fibre processing) is very unique and interesting.”

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Sixty baby elephants of the Uda Walawe Elephant Care Centre where they were nurtured until fit to roam free again were released recently to the Uda Walawe National Park. The Uda Walawe Elephant Care Centre provides a transit home to baby elephants abandoned or injured in the jungles.

A team from the Twycross Zoo, from the Midlands’s in U.K., is in Sri Lanka and did a study of elephant hab   Read more...

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itats in the wild on a visit to Uda Walawe National Park and closely observed the elephants in their natural surroundings.

Mr Vasantha Nugegoda, a former Assistant Director at the Sri Lanka Zoo and the creator of the Singapore night safari, led the team, which included Ms Suzanne Boardman – Zoo Director, Mr Neil Dorman – Curator of Mammals, Mr Ben Potterton – Curator of Plants.

At the ITB Convention in Messe, Berlin where over 11,000 exhibitors from 180 countries were present, the team from Sri Lanka Tourism showcased the Sri Lankan offer with strength and solidarity.

Over 40 companies participated with both the SME’s and the large sector being well represented. Sri Lanka Tourism’s strategic marketing focus being the destinations – diversity, compactness and authenticity was well presented to an interested audience.

The month long taxi and ‘Metro board’ promotion within the city limits of Berlin which was launched during the ITB activities in March is catching the attention of travelers interested in making a visit to Sri Lanka. The cultural offer aptly presented by the “Ravibandhu Dance Ensemble’ captivated the visitors to the fair and had the added advantage of being featured on German TV, giving a wider audience, a glimpse of the Sri Lankan offer.


Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) went on a ‘Feet on the Street’ promotion in Mumbai last week. The Sri Lanka Conventions Bureau, which promotes the MICE strengths of destination Sri Lanka, had fruitful discussions with industry leaders and decision makers with promise of many groups arriving in Colombo in the near future.

Among the top corporations which showed an interest in the Sri Lankan offer were Johnson and Johnson, Sony Erickson, Max New York, Virtusa, Titan, Bosche, Wipro and Asian Paints.

Leading artistes from the world of cinema joined the National Film Corporation in establishing an Art Centre in Jaffna in the north of Sri Lanka. Award winning nationally revered actress Malini Fonseka is spearheading the project with the ready support of many persons from the film industry.

The proposed centre will provide an environment for spotting new talent and facilitate those interested in pursuing a career in the performing arts to do so with interaction with others from all the provinces.

The world’s leading institution for culture, UNESCO, will honour the doyen of Sri Lankan cinema Lester James Pieris on his 90th birthday, on 6th April, with a screening of ‘Gamperaliya’ ; at Salle 1, UNESCO Headquarters Paris France.

The movie comes alive in France as a collaborative effort of UNESCO, the Sri Lanka Embassy in France and Heliotrope Films which is headed by Laurent Aleonard who was instrumental in restoring the print of Gamperaliya.

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