Hikkaduwa Beach Festival – 2008
	Sri Lanka is Kuni UK’s No. 01 destination for Weddings
	Sri Lankan troupe performs Ramayana in India
	XEROX Chooses Sri Lanka’s beauty to showcase colour
	Beauty and fashion Divas’ Rave
	UNESCO Ambassadors visit Sri Lanka
	6th Professional Development Programme
	German Travel Agents promise to return
	Packages for India vs Sri Lanka Cricket series
	“Dream Home Programme” for longer stay
	China’s leading MICE Planners visit Sri Lanka
	‘ Middle Eastern Promise’
	Filming of ‘The gathering’ at Minneriya
	Leisure World to introduce tropical rain forest
Hikkaduwa Beach Festival – 2008
	The spotlight will fall on Hikkaduwa from July 30th to August 3rd when the ‘Hikkaduwa Beach Fest 2008 gets underway. It will be five days of entertainment and excitement for the whole family with a line up of events for all age groups being catered to. There will be activities from sunup to sunset to keep all members of the family entertained. With a special day dedicated to grandparents and other events for kiddies with beach sports for the more energetic, a long line up of entertainment await visitors. The partying in the evening will be enlivened with the participation of popular and world famous DJ’s,  and invitees from overseas adding to the excitement. From Rock concerts to kite festivals to fireworks displays, activities are varied and fun filled and are designed to provide entertainment to both local and foreign visitors. For details visit www.srilanka.travel
Sri Lanka is Kuni UK’s No. 01 destination for Weddings
	Global tour operator Kuoni Travels of Switzerland’s, fully owned subsidiary Kuoni Travel Ltd UK Managing Director Nick Hughes, on a recent visit to Sri Lanka, said “ Sri Lanka is the number one destination for weddings worldwide and number two honeymoon destination for Kuoni Travels” He went on to add “Our year –on –year revenue (2007 -2008) from the Sri Lankan market has risen by 30 % while passenger traffic has risen by 20%. This is a very strong and favourable message for Sri Lanka” Kuoni is among Britain’s biggest tour operators to Sri Lanka and is operating for more than forty years. Sri Lanka is featured on the cover of Kuoni’s Winter Brochure for 2008; company’s main catalogue of global destinations. The 2009 brochure dedicates 24 pages to Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankan troupe performs Ramayana in India
	Aru Sri Art Theatre in association with Mr. Chandana Wickramasinghe presented Ramayanaya under the direction of Kalasuri Arunthathy Sri Renganathan at the Ramayana festival in India from June 5th to 13th. The 25 member troupe toured  Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Gwalior where performers from Cambodia, Java, Bali, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Ayodhya  participated. The Sri Lankan dancing ambassadors and musicians showcased  to the audiences in India the cultural bond that exists between all peoples of India  and Sri Lanka.
XEROX Chooses Sri Lanka’s beauty to showcase colour
	Xerox the world renowned photo copy printer who takes pride in showing the beauty of colour to the world choose the vibrancy of Sri Lanka’s many hues to tell their story and bring glory to Sri Lanka. The formalities to start off the project was launched in Colombo when Andrew Horne Managing Director Xerox India who also heads operations of the SAARC region was in Colombo as Guest of Honour at Print 2008 Exhibition and Awards Night of the Sri Lanka Printers Association. Speaking of the decision Horne said “ Sri Lanka is a wonderful and colourful country and we want to be a part of the campaign to show its beauty to the world.”
Beauty and fashion Divas’ Rave
	At a glitzy, star packed, three night event, Colombo Vogue Life Styles Weekend, a radiant former Miss India and Bollywood actress, Neha Dupia said “This is my first visit to this beautiful country and I hope to visit again soon”. The most ardent fan from among the visitors was Shobaa De, one of India’s most prolific writers in English, said “I never felt insecure in Sri Lanka. It’s a beautiful, beautiful country.” Going on to describe Sri Lanka, as a, “chilled out place.” Jyoti Narula of Satya Paul fame voiced his opinion “Always a joy and a delight to come to this beautiful country. I love the food, the island culture and its people.” The European designer Haman Sagar – head designer of couture brand Lecoanet –Hemant said “This is my second time in Sri Lanka. Perrien Fernando, Sri Lankan international super model, and I are great friends. I am delighted to be in Sri Lanka again.” French designer Nathalie Ozier visiting Sri Lanka for the first time said “We were not worried about coming to Sri Lanka. We felt safe.” Shoba De underscored by saying “Nothing should scare us in following a cause that is right. I never felt insecure”
UNESCO Ambassadors visit Sri Lanka
	A group of 16 UNESCO ambassadors and delegates, led by Chairman of the Executive Board, Armoogam Parsuramen toured Sri Lanka and visited five of the seven World heritage sites of Sigiriya, Pollonaruwa, Dambulla and Kandy in the UNESCO designated cultural triangle, and the Dutch Fort in Galle. They were accompanied on tour by Ambassador for Sri Lanka Ms Chitranganie Wagiswara. On returning to Paris the delegates with one voice commented on Sri Lanka’s rich cultural heritage and the warm hospitality of the people. At a special viewing of the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha, delegates of varying faiths stood in awed silence showing a profound respect. Most of the visitors echoed the sentiment that they wish to return again soon on a longer visit.
6th Professional Development Programme
	The 6th professional development programme conducted by the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau and the International Convention Association Asia Pacific Chapter is to be held at the Heritance Ahungalle from the 26th to 28th June with the participation of 40 middle level managers and executives. This three day workshop will enhance the participants’ ability to efficiently handle MICE’s in their respective properties, with a better understanding of the needs of different markets.
German Travel Agents promise to return
	A group of 80 travel agents, representing Thomas Cook, REWE Touristik, Berge & Meer and Sun. Trips were in Sri Lanka from 8th to 14th June on a familiarization tour of the popular tourist sites of Sri Lanka. For a couple of them it was a place they had visited before, which they found “ as charming as ever, nothing has changed” for many it was a first hand experience of the “small island big trip” they were selling at their counters back home. The agents were chosen based on their past performance in generating tourists to Sri Lanka. On the final leg of the tour, after experiencing first hand the destination and its offer, on 13th June the group attended a workshop, where their experiences were consolidated with the knowledge of the products and services on offer. While everyone listened in earnest to the speakers what caught the attention was Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman’s statement “In a 25 year conflict not a single tourist targeted in an attack.” A first timer to Sri Lanka Christina Geiger of ‘Reis Aus Reiseladen’ found the trip “A beautiful experience. Seven days is too short. I will come again for the full experience.”
Packages for India vs Sri Lanka Cricket series
	With the upcoming test series between India and Sri Lanka, tourism is gearing up to showcase destination Sri Lanka and its myriad attractions to urge cricket fans, to follow their heroes, as they tour. Sri Lankan Airlines joins Sri Lanka Tourism in offering the Indian tourists an “Individual price-based package” which would include air-fares, sight seeing, accommodation and local transportation and cricket match tickets.  Aitken Spence Travels has been appointed as the ground handling agent for Sri Lankan Holidays cricket packages. India will be playing three Test matches and five ODI’s beginning July 23rd.  The cricket series will end on the 29th of Aug. 08.
“Dream Home Programme” for longer stay
	Taking into consideration the repeated requests of tourists  to be allowed to stay on in Sri Lanka for extended periods of time, much longer than the Tourist Visa eligibility period, The department of Immigration and Emigration announced the ‘Sri Lanka – My Dream Home Programme’ . The department  invited applications from foreign nationals, offering many benefits for those seeking temporary residence in Sri Lanka, for the purpose of a more leisurely life style, living among a people who are known to be caring and hospitable by nature. For more information please visit  the website : www.immigration.gov.lk
China’s leading MICE Planners visit Sri Lanka
	Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) in association with SriLankan Airlines and MICE China conducted a familiarization tour for five of China’s leading MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) planners. They were accompanied by MICE China, the leading publisher on MICE news. The tour comes in the wake of Sri Lanka promoting Sino – Sri Lankan tourism ties with the commencement of direct flights to and from China. The group explored the multi venue destination and expressed their satisfaction with repeatedly saying “Amazing” at the facilities available. SLCB welcomed suggestions of the delegates to better facilitate the needs of the specific market while the visiting team confirmed their pleasure in arranging for MICE travel groups to visit Sri Lanka. For details visit www.visitsrilanka.travel.
‘ Middle Eastern Promise’
	‘Middle East, MICE and Events’ the publication for meetings, incentive travel, conferences, exhibitions and events in the Middle East, in its 17th issue carries a story on Sri Lanka titled ‘ Middle Eastern promise’ -  a detailed feature on Sri Lanka’s many attractions as a MICE destination. Sri Lanka’s offer as a MICE destination of choice was introduced to the Middle East market at the ‘Arabian Travel Market’ last April. Featured within a month in the most prestigious publication for MICE’s in the Gulf region, the Sri Lankan offer will now be on the front burners and explored. For details visit www.memicee.com
Filming of ‘The gathering’ at Minneriya
	Tigress Productions one of Britain’s largest and best known specialist producers of wildlife, science and adventure documentary programming, will be in Sri Lanka in July / August. They will be filming, a valued treasure of Sri Lanka; the world renowned tourist attraction ‘The gathering’ of elephants. This seasonal gathering takes place each year in the north central province of Sri Lanka at Minneriya, in the latter part of July and in to August. With the onset of the dry season, the elephants sometimes numbering as much as 300 or more will move towards the Minneriya Lake in search of water and food. A treat for wildlife enthusiasts, eager to see large herds in the wild, providing a great photo opportunity for the more adventurous.
Leisure World to introduce tropical rain forest
	Leisure World Water Park (Pvt) Ltd. Is planning to inaugurate the first every man-made Tropical Rain Forest in Sri Lanka which is planted with around 50 species of what is in Sinharaja Tropical Forest on World Environmental Day, June 5, this year. The forest is created in an area in extent of 6.0 Acres with the intention of educating and inculcating the value of protecting flora.  Introduction of latest type of Bumper Cards to Sri Lanka and Sky Walker amusement activity to visitors also will take place during the month of August.