News and Events

• Location of the Week
• Verdi's 'Requiem' performed by SOSL in Colombo
• An exhibition of indigenous medicine
• Sri Lanka stars in ‘Dream Hotel’
• 'Srilankan Holidays' delight shoppers


Sri Lanka was selected location of the week by The Location Guide website; a resource website for location filming worldwide. The ‘Home Page’ of the website was adorn   Read more...

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ed with a scene of Talawakelle and is a working still of ‘NESTEA’ TV commercial. NESTEA was launched at the Beijing Olympics and the bottle has a graphic of our island and the product "TEA OF THE WORLD".

The Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka will perform Verdi’s magnificent 'Requiem' - at the Anglican Cathedral, Bauddhaloka Mawatha Colombo on Saturday 7th March. The concert will be directed by world renowned conductor Gregory Rose, with a fine quartet of solo singers and the large SOSL orchestra complimented by visiting instrumentalists, and a Symphony Orchestra Chorus of nearly 100 voices, performing.

Kishani Jayasinghe, Soprano, the first Sri Lankan to perform as a soloist at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden; Gayathrie Patrick, Mezzo Soprano, a frequent award winner at international festivals and competitions in England and Wales; Amar Muchhala, Tenor, a graduate of London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama Opera Course, now embarking on an international opera career; and Dhilan Gnanadurai, Bass, a recent Graduate and Post Graduate at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, are scheduled to perform.

‘Ayurveda 2009’ an indigenous healthcare exhibition and symposium is to be held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall in Colombo from 23rd to 25th May. Unani, Sidda, Homeopathy and Ayurvedha systems of medication will be exhibited and will be the platform to showcase their special and unique facilities for providing healing and for preserving good health.

The latest research and findings, on these age old time tested healthcare practices, which have minimal side affects and are relatively affordable will made available at this exhibition. Exhibitors from the SAARC region countries and from Asia, with long established traditions of practicing indigenous medicine are expected at this event. This year too as in previous years, large visitor participation from exhibiting countries and from the EU is expected.

Courtesy of Sri Lanka tourist promotions board





Kandy, Pollonaruwa, Nuwara Eliya and Galle are the setting for a fascinating love story which is shot in location in Sri Lanka. The ‘Dream Hotel’ series voted as the most popular TV series in Germany is produced by Lisa Film, the Austrian based producer specializing in the production of non-violent feature films, TV movies, and TV series.

The 90 minute TV series tells a story about unusual, elegant, and spectacular locations around the world, focusing mainly on the positive aspects of each country, its highlights, traditional features, and exceptional qualities. Previous locations include the Seychelles, Mauritius, Bali, Mexico, South Africa, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, India, and the Dominican Republic. On the choice of location Sri Lanka, Director of the tele-film, Otto W Retzer said “We have selected Sri Lanka after a lengthy process. We are extremely happy of our decision and this is indeed a beautiful country.”

Lisa Film will be working with the local film crew of The Film Team (Pvt) Ltd, headed by Ravindra Randeniya, the veteran Sri Lankan film personality, and supported by Errol Kelly, the Art Director on this production who was instrumental in designing and building all sets of the Deepa Mehta’s movie Water filmed in Sri Lanka.

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Greetings from sunny Sri Lanka; from the land of many treasures,
a land like no other:

• Sri Lanka Tourism races on top gear to WTM
• Aeroflot resumes charter operations to Colombo
• A sparkling array of gems
• Bollywood captivated by Galle
• Plans on development remain on course
• Another win for Convention Bureau
• Tourism takes the lead in the    Read more...

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East
• Dutch House makes the Gold List 2008
• Wild Asia raves over Sri Lankan “Green Hotel”
• Japanese tourists visit Buddhist shrines

Conservationists, cricketers and musicians will join travel and tourism industry leaders to promote destination Sri Lanka, at the World Travel Market (WTM) at Excel Centre, London, from 10th to 13th November.

The Minister of Tourism, Milinda Moragoda, will lead the high profile delegation which includes Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, George Michael; Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau, Renton de Alwis; and SLTPB Managing Director, Dileep Mudadeniya. From the private sector 42 companies will be represented, this includes eight participants from the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector.

‘A land like no other’ sung by Tourism Ambassador Alston Koch will be launched to a global audience supported by the UNWTO tipped to be adopted as the global climate change and tourism song; informing visitors of Sri Lanka’s commitment to facing the change crisis with a positive outlook. The presence of brand ambassadors Arjuna Ranatunga, Sanath Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas will add lustre and rekindle memories of happy times in Sri Lanka watching the Test Series and One Day Internationals under the sun, and the fun that followed.


Aeroflot resumes charter operations to Colombo

Aeroflot Charter Flights resumed operations to Colombo on November 6th. Having had close operational ties with Sri Lanka, going as far back as 1964, Aeroflot Charters in the period 2000 -2001. Russian visitor arrivals saw a sharp increase during the last winter season and this winter is also set to be very promising. First of the resumed flights came in with a Charter group of 256 passenger and Sri Lanka Tourism looks forward to a greater influx of arrivals in the coming years.


A sparkling array of gems

An ‘Island of Gems’ will sparkle at the Mostyn Hotel Mable Arch, Bryanston Street, London, W1H 7BY (Central Line – Marble Arch) on 8th and 9th November 2008 (Saturday and Sunday) between 9.30 am to 7.00 pm. The exhibition will display geology, gem mining, gem cutting and polishing, gemstone, jewelry and educational material. There will be a large number of coloured gemstones, and some diamonds on show. Some of the jewelry on display have been exclusively crafted for this exhibition.


Bollywood captivated by Galle

The Asian premier of Ketan Mehta’s latest film Rang Rasiya (Colours of Passion) was screened in Galle last Saturday to a packed house at the Halle de Galle. A fundraiser for the Galle Film Festival 2009, the movie drew both locals and foreigners to Galle for the screening of an outstanding movie.


Ketan Mehta was in Galle for the event accompanied by the three leading stars Randeep Hooda, Nandana Sen and Ferena Wazier, they flew in direct from the world premiere held on 31st October in London’s Leicester Square. While the audience was captivated by the movie, the stars spoke of the destination. “This is my first visit I loved the beautiful greenery, which I saw from the helicopter all the way down to Galle” said Ferena Wazier.


“I loved the location of this screening and the setting,” said Nandana Sen, adding “The audience response was terrific. So genuine and understanding, I would love to act in a film made in Sri Lanka.”


Plans on development remain on course

Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) announced of development plans aimed at accommodating an increase in tourist arrivals to 1.5 million by 2009/12. Bernard Goonatillake chairman SLTDA spoke of the plans which include the integration of the informal sector where hotels, guest houses and other tourist hot-spots are to be registered with the Board. The facilitation and growth of the small and medium sectors of the industry is seen as a key objective of future plans.

The development of the resorts and an integrated plan to operate with the provinces are also being looked in to by the Authority for the years 2009 to 2010. In this respect, the Director General of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority S. Kalaiselvam spoke of the resorts that are to be developed and managed by the SLTDA. These include the Kalpitiya Dutch Bay resort, the Dedduwa Lake resort, Passekuda resort and the Kantalai Rest House. The China Bay Airport which is due to be completed soon is also seen as an essential way for developing tourism in the provinces.


Another win for Convention Bureau

Sri Lanka Calling is delighted that the 24th Confederation of Asia – Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) Conference and the Council Meeting is to be held in Colombo Sri Lanka in 2010. The joint project proposal submitted by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry Sri Lanka backed by Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) won the bid to organize the event and the decision was announced at the 22nd CACCI Conference in Manila, Philippines.

The Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI), established in 1966, is a regional organization composed of apex Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Business Associations representing the interest of business enterprises in 25 countries.


Tourism takes the lead in the East

A program to develop the Eastern Province was launched recently, with the appointment of the Eastern Province Tourism Development Committee with the provinces Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan as a member of the committee. The Eastern Province, which boasts of Sri Lanka’s most attractive and breathtaking coastline, has been out of the tourist route in the last two decades.

The committee will drive development in keeping with the needs and aspirations of the people of the area, with both public and private sector participation.


Dutch House makes the Gold List 2008

The Dutch House, a colonial house renovated and providing modern facilities in the ambience of more leisurely days, is featured this week in the Conde Nast Traveller ‘Escape of the week’ and Galle in the travel guide section.



Wild Asia raves over Sri Lankan “Green Hotel”

Liong Siok Hui writes of a visit to Kandalama Hotel in Sigiriya in the series Rethink Travel which concentrates on properties practising responsible tourism and is published online in association with Wild Asia, a conservation group operating from Kuala Lumpur.

Hui pictorially describes Geoffrey Bawa’s concept and vision for the Hotel and goes on to speak of current conservation practises which have earned Kandalama its reputation and the distinction of international recognition.


Japanese tourists visit Buddhist shrines
In a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Honmon Butsu Ryjshei (HBS), a group of Japanese tourists led by Ven. Nippo Umeda of the Honmon Butsu Ryjshei (HBS) toured the cultural triangle and places of historical and religious significance recently.


The group travelled to Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Kandy and on the final leg of the journey, visited places of Buddhist worship in Colombo. “We had a most wonderful time and we will never forget this experience” said one of the 45 member tour group voicing the sentiments of all.

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