A Lion like No Other

Sri Lanka Tourism’s initiative to support Lion Mahendra Amerasuriya on his installation as world President at the Lions International Convention in Chicago last month, saw the Upuli Channa Performing Arts Foundation presenting a stunning dance recital, showcasing Sri Lanka as a country rich in culture and arts.

The event drew over 30,000 representatives from 200 countries, from a 1.2 million strong Lion’s movement to the “United Centre” Chicago home to the legendary basketball players, the Chicago Bulls. The procession of member clubs were led by batik saree-clad ladies and sarong-clad men waving Sri Lanka flags and Sesaths, earning them the award for “Best Parade” in the procession.

Sri Lanka Tourist Board made use of this historic moment when the first Sri Lankan to be inducted to the high office of world presidency of the Lions Club took place in Chicago to draw positive attention to Sri Lanka. The sponsorship of the sixteen-member dance troupe of the Channa Upuli Performing Arts Foundation was but one aspect; the focus was a total awareness-creating programme of Sri Lanka - A Land like No Other - to the Lions present at the convention.

The Sri Lanka Tourist Board stall at the convention drew many, and the interest in Sri Lanka, was further heightened - amongst Lions at the convention - by Sri Lanka being the venue for their forthcoming 35th ISSAME Forum (Lions regional meeting covering the South African, Middle Eastern and SAARC region). The ISSAME is scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka this year from 5th – 8th December, and over 500 members are expected to participate.

Lion Mahendra Amerasuriya will travel to 200 countries during his tenure of World Club Presidency, attending board meetings and Lions movement-related activities. An illustrious Sri Lankan, Lion Mahendra has agreed to the request of the Sri Lanka Tourist Board to showcase “Destination Sri Lanka” on his travels abroad. Audio and video recordings covering Sri Lanka’s cultural diversity, scenic beauty, heritage sites, and wildlife will be included in these presentations. These will be reminders to the world that Sri Lanka is still a country of distinguished persons and a destination waiting to delight the traveller.

(Courtesy: Prashanthi Ravindran, Asst Director - PR, Sri Lanka Tourist Board)

On MICE, Ecotourists & Monkeys

The MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions) market constitutes 15% to 20% of tourists to Sri Lanka. However, the MICE tourists' contribution is merely 10% of foreign exchange the country earns from tourism. That is because such visitors typically spend less time in the country (under four days) than a package tourist does.

Of the nine million Indians expected to travel out next year, 800,000 will be on MICE. Sri Lanka is well connected to India and - with even more airlines joining the fray - is ideally poised to tap that opportunity. To promote our country as a destination, Cooray will be accompanying a delegation of 25-30 tourism leaders to India.

These leaders will interact with at least 100 of India's leading companies at road-shows planned in Bangalore and Hyderabad (September 6th to 11th). The promotion intends to tap the abundant affluence in these software centres and grab a bigger byte of the conference business. These road-shows will be followed by similar ones in Chennai during October, and Mumbai and New Delhi later this year. Cocktails and presentations on Sri Lankan tourism will certainly feature on the menu.

Lately, Indian companies have been riding the crest of an economic wave and have the resources to take their employees to foreign destinations. Value for money is very relevant for them, and Sri Lankan hotels offer very competitive pricing. Indians who have visited Sri Lanka marvel at its diversity, describing it as "God's Own Country", an epithet popularised by Kerala Tourism to describe that South Indian state.

Dr D A C Silva, Senior lecturer at the University of Colombo, explained Community Tourism: "Traditional tourism focuses on tourism and hopes that spin-off benefits will trickle down to the community," he said. "But this recent trend promotes community welfare through tourism."

Today's tourist is an anthropologist who explores cultures, attitudes and lifestyles - to expand his awareness. This typically European eco-tourist is also curious about how his money is helping people. Palitha Gurusinghe, Chairman, Sri Lanka EcoTours, provided the sad example of the Udawalawe National Park, which tourists pay US$ 25 to enter, but the people there live below the poverty line.

Describing the promotion of Sri Lanka as "a real nightmare", Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne, CEO - Jetwing EcoHolidays, narrated how a documentary film crew was obstructed by the Galle Fort Heritage Committee because their permit from the Sri Lanka Tourist Board was inadequate. By doing so, they were blocking international coverage potentially worth US$ 50 million in terms of telecast time on Discovery or National Geographic.

"If you want to film monkeys in Polonnaruwa," Wijeyeratne went on, "you need to liaise with the central Cultural Fund, the Department of Archaeology and the Forest Department, besides keeping the local temple priests happy." Acknowledging this narrow-mindedness, George Michael, Additional Secretary, Tourism Ministry, promised a 'one-stop-shop' that will issue such permits in future.

Jetwing Gets PATA on the Back

In 2002, a couple of gentlemen on a visit to the Barnes Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in UK were immensely impressed by what they saw there. “Why not replicate something similar in Sri Lanka?” they thought. In due course, they did! The gentlemen are Hiran Cooray, Deputy Chairman, Jetwing Hotels Ltd, and Gehan de Silva Wijeyratne, CEO, Jetwing Eco Holidays. Their replica was created within view of the renowned Sigiriya rock fortress and is Jetwing’s newest property – Vil Uyana.

But the transformation of their dream into reality was not quite smooth sailing… “We wanted to turn barren land into wetland, but the authorities here did not understand,” recounts Cooray. “Consequently, we had to struggle for 23 months to get approval.”

The creation of the 9½ acre lake alone cost Jetwing a whopping Rs 40 million… But it’s payback time now. The premium price-tag of US$ 110 per night for bed and breakfast does not seem to be a deterrent. Cooray says, “Occupancy is pushing 40% and the majority of our guests are locals... We can’t grumble at the way things are shaping up.”

Vil Uyana’s moment of glory, however, came recently, when the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) announced its 24 Gold Award winners. In addition to these, four Best-of-Show Grand Awards were announced. Jetwing’s Youth Development Project at Vil Uyana bagged the Grand Award in the Education and Training category for the ‘We Dreamed a Dream’ project. The project was originally planned to bridge the skills gap and equip local youngsters for employment. This was done by providing training in hospitality and English – free - to school-leavers from disadvantaged farming families in the Sigiriya area.

Jetwing went to temples and asked monks to find them youth aged eighteen years and above. Teaching of English to the selected youth commenced in January 2006, at the temple premises itself. A ‘personality profile test’ facilitated determining the youngsters’ aptitudes for different areas of hotel operations. Accordingly, individuals were trained in Front Office, Housekeeping, Food & Beverage or Kitchen Operations. The passing out ceremony took place in June 2006 and successful candidates were absorbed into the staff cadre.

In addition, Sri Lanka has won three Gold Awards. SriLankan Airlines bagged one for its ‘Home Away from Home’ marketing campaign for carriers. Chaaya Hotels & Resorts won two: (a) in the Environment category, for its ecotourism project, Chaaya Village Habarana and (b) in the Marketing Media category, for its CD-ROM. All award recipients will be honoured at a special luncheon at the PATA Travel Mart 2007 to be held in Bali, Indonesia, on September 28th 2007.

Speaking at a media conference recently, Dr P Ramanujam, Secretary, Ministry of Urban and Sacred Area Development, remarked, “If tourism is to be sustainable, we have to get the community involved."

Based on its accomplishments - in ecotourism and engagement of local communities - Jetwing has recently signed a contract to build two rainforest lodges in Cambodia.

Long-term Investment

I knelt to pray but not for long,
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.

So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease…

All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer,
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh at me I'd fear.

No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need
But at last the time, the time to die.

I went before the Lord,
I came, I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God held a book;
It was the book of life.

God looked into his book and said
"Your name I cannot find
I once was going to write it down…
But never found the time."

(Courtesy: Ravi Bhatia)

Ravages of Time (1973 to 2007)

UNICEF Foster Care Ad

(Courtesy: Malaika Fernando)

Noah's Ark Retold: 2007

The Lord came unto Noah, who was living in Canada, and said, “Once again, the earth has become wicked and over-populated, and I see the end of all flesh before me. Build another Ark and save two of every living thing along with a few good humans."

He gave Noah the blueprints, saying, "You have six months to build the Ark before I will start the unending rain for forty days and forty nights."

Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his yard - but no Ark. "Noah!" He roared, "I'm about to start the rain! Where is the Ark?”

"Forgive me, Lord," begged Noah, "but things have changed. I needed a building permit. I've been arguing with the inspector about the need for a sprinkler system. My neighbors claim that I've violated the neighborhood zoning laws by building the Ark in my yard and exceeding the height limitations. We had to go to the Development Appeal Board for a decision.

“Then the Hydro One demanded a bond be posted for the future costs of moving power lines and other overhead obstructions, to clear the passage for the Ark’s move to the sea. I told them that the sea would be coming to us, but they would hear nothing of it.

“Getting the wood was another problem. There's a ban on cutting local trees in order to save the spotted owl. I tried to convince the environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the owls - but no go!

“When I started gathering the animals, an animal rights group sued me. They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. They argued the accommodation was too restrictive, and it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space.

“Then the Ministry of the Environment ruled that I couldn't build the Ark until they'd conducted an environmental impact study on your proposed flood.

“I'm still trying to resolve a complaint with the Human Rights Commission on how many minorities I'm supposed to hire for my building crew. Immigration and Naturalization are checking the Visa status of most of the people who want to work. The trades unions say I can't use my sons. They insist I have to hire only Union workers with Ark-building experience.

“To make matters worse, Revenue Canada seized all my assets, claiming I'm trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species. So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least ten years for me to finish this Ark.”

Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow stretched across the sky. Noah looked up in wonder and asked, “You mean you're not going to destroy the world?"

"No," replied the Lord. “The Government beat me to it."

(Courtesy: Ravi Bhatia)