Life style
Cinnamon Life pledges accommodation for Sri Lankan Olympic contingent
As a way of appreciating Sri Lanka’s Olympic team for representing the country at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games, Cinnamon Life will be hosting the contingent at Cinnamon Grand Colombo.
Cinnamon Life, which is Sri Lanka’s first ever integrated resort will host the entire contingent on full board complimentary basis, in adherence with all necessary COVID-19 health and safety protocol stipulated by the Tokyo Olympic organizers within a special dedicated floor at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo.
Commenting on the initiative, Krishan Balendra, Chairman – John Keells Holdings PLC noted: “Even amidst the challenging times the travel and tourism industry continues to face, Cinnamon Life recognises the need to support our national Olympic team and has agreed to provide accommodation for our Olympians and support staff on complimentary basis. We will extend our fullest care to give them the right state of mind with all necessary comforts to enable them to perform their best. Sports bring out national pride in any country and we believe that this gesture will assist to play a part in showcasing the talent of our national athletes to the world.”
Sri Lanka will be represented by nine athletes and 17 officials at the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics, who will compete in nine sporting categories namely Athletics, Badminton, Equestrian, Gymnastics, Judo, Shooting and Swimming.
Concluding, Krishan Balendra stated “With the vision of being the trendsetter in the hospitality industry, Cinnamon Life provides service offerings which go beyond traditional hospitality. We are trying to be pioneers in innovative solutions affecting the lives of all our stakeholders and are proud that a Sri Lankan brand that is invested in the growth of our nation, was chosen to ensure the needs and safety of our national athletes. As a responsible corporate citizen, we pledge to care for the nation’s people and communities through the practice of our core values: caring, trust and integrity. Offering complimentary accommodation for the national Olympians is a form of giving back and showing our appreciation for their dedication and commitment to represent our great nation.”
Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Games had been postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will be Sri Lanka’s eighteenth [18th] appearance at the Summer Olympics, with the exception of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. The Sri Lanka team will consist of nine [09] athletes; four [04] competing in the men’s category; five [05] competing in the women’s category.
Minister of Sports, Namal Rajapaksa stated, “We are very keen to ensure the wellbeing of the athletes and aim to offer them the best comforts to boost their confidence and motivation as they prepare to represent our nation at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. We chose a great Sri Lankan brand and appreciate the generosity and hospitality of Cinnamon during these difficult times in helping our national Olympic contingent for the upcoming Olympic games. Support from local corporates for the development of sports is something to admire and acknowledge, as we need to build more athletes and sportspersons, and this would undoubtedly help to improve the growth of this talent in our country.”
Further commenting on the gesture, President of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka, Suresh Subramaniam stated, “I am indeed privileged to be a part of Sri Lanka’s Olympic committee. I am truly heartened to know that big corporates in Sri Lanka have defied all barriers and joined hands with us to support Team Sri Lanka. This is what you call true team spirit.”
Cinnamon Life is the largest real estate development project in modern Sri Lankan history and considered a significant vote of confidence in Colombo’s trajectory forward as an economic and tourist hub. The integrated hotel and mixed-use development beckons a new era of work and play in the city, with the office tower, a 30-storey A-grade workspace and 427 residential units in the heart of Colombo. It is linked to an 800-roomed five-star Cinnamon Hotel and a mall spread across five levels, housing iconic international brands and exclusive dining experiences. Cinnamon Life is the largest private investment in Sri Lanka to date and is scheduled to open by mid-2022.
###
For further information contact:
Pramukshi Kariyawasam
Director Content Strategy, Public Relations and Communications
Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts
Mobile: +94 (0)71 8622 917
Email: pramukshi@cinnamonhotels.com
Institute of Hospitality Sri Lanka
The 32nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the UK-based Institute of Hospitality’s Sri Lanka Chapter was held recently at the Ramada Hotel Colombo,.The event provided an evening of camaraderie , reflection of the past and present achievements,setting new benchmarks for the future
The AGM had the presence of two distinguished guests, the Chief Guest Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, and the Guest of Honour British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick. Their inspiring speeches were lauded by all hoteliers who were present at the occasion
A special thanks was extended to Robert Richardson, CEO of the Institute of Hospitality UK, along with his team, sponsors, committee members, and all attendees for making the event memorable.
Dr. Harsha Jayasingh, Past President of the Institute of Hospitality (UK) Sri Lanka Chapter, emphasised the Institute’s longstanding history and the strength of its Sri Lankan branch. “The Institute of Hospitality (IH) UK has a history of 86 years, and we are proud to be the Sri Lanka Branch. IH Sri Lanka is much stronger now with many members from all areas of the hospitality industry,” he stated.
Dr. Jayasingh highlighted the significant role of tourism in Sri Lanka’s economy,. He said tourism it is the third-largest source of revenue for the country. “Tourism accounts for about 13.3% of total foreign exchange earnings and employs 450,000 people directly and indirectly. The hospitality industry in this island of pearl holds tremendous potential for economic growth, job creations, and cultural exchange,” he added.
He also pointed out more women should be attracted to the industry and advocated for the use of technology in hospitality sector to attract the younger generation.
The newly appointed Chairman Ramesh Dassanayake spoke about the challenges faced by the industry, including the reluctance of youth to join the sector. . Dassanayake expressed concerns over the migration of staff between hotels and the overall ‘brain drain’ in the sector. ” We must maintain high standards in the hotel We must try to attract tourists to Sri Lanka, we must have with many facilities Hence, hotel schools and other professional institutions involved in skills development mustincrease their intakes,” he pointed out.
Chief Guest Sajith Premadasa emphasised the importance of eco tourism and said “We need to have an environmental policy related to tourism in place,” . .
The 32nd AGM of the Institute of Hospitality UK, Sri Lanka Chapter, was a testament to the strength and potential of Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry. The insights and commitments shared during the event set a new benchmark for the future.(ZC)
Pix by Thushara Attapathu
Life style
He recognizes human identity beyond boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion.
Visit of Sri Gurudev to Sri Lanka
Humanitarian, spiritual leader and Global Ambassador of Peace Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (Sri Gurudev) was in Sri Lanka on a three day tour on the invitation of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dinesh Gunewardene. Gurudev who inspired a wave of volunteerism and service to moot one of the largest volunteer-based organisations in the world – The Art of Living – visited the various projects under the aegis of the foundation and launched twelve vocational and technical centers around the island. He was accompanied by thousands of followers from Sri Lanka and around the world.
Gurudev who visited Sri Lanka for the sixth time also had a first day cover launched in honour of his visit. He is a strong proponent of spreading happiness, using the unique Sudarshan Kriya, yoga, meditation and practical wisdom to unite people, empower individuals and transform communities. His programmes provide techniques and tools to live a deeper, more joyous life, while his non-profit organisations recognize the human identity beyond the boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion.
The Art of Living which has more than 30,000 teachers and over one million volunteers across 180 countries has touched in excess of five hundred million people around the world. CNN called it “Life Changing” and The Washington Post headlined it, “Fresh air to millions”.
In Trincomalee, Gurudev met with war victims and had a heartwarming engagement with the children from the children’s homes run by the Foundation. He also visited the Koneswara Temple in Trincomalee and graced the Kumbhabhishekam at Seetha ecogPnize the human identity beyond the boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion. Amman temple at Nuwara Eliya. He held discussions with the trustees on the progress of the foundation’s social service projects, while also holding a special event – Ekamuthuwa – attended by a large number of dignitaries and his devotees from around the world.
His time with the Prime Minister was spent discussing the prospects of unity in diversity and uniting Sri Lanka by adding happiness into the formula of living. In addition he had discussions with the Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, prominent business stewards and civil society leaders.
by Zanita Careem
Envison your dream wedding day come to life at the Epitome Hotel, a prestigious city hotel in Kurunegala offering an unrivalled luxury rendors experience for weddings.
The venue is designed to embody opulence and luxury from all quarters for a spectacular wedding in kurunegala,Thier ballroom is the largest banquet facility in Sri Lanka It can be divided into six luxurious pillarless wedding halls on the ground floor and 25pax smaller banquet halls.
It can be easily named as a five star heaven in the heart of the city contributing to a myriad of immense experiences tailored to inspire and delight wedding experiences.
From opulent décor set up to exquisite table decor, lavish food, every detail is meticulously curated to spark your imagination and ignite creativity for a perfect wedding. The previous prestigious wedding shows season one and season two attracted large crowds
were unique events which gave the wedding vendors and potential clients had an opportunity to connect and interact with each other. Beyond being a showcase it was a chance for the wedding vendors to unite and contribute to the vibrancy of the wedding industry. The wedding show covered all area of the bridal industry providing a comprehensive variety of bridal supplies from Sri lanka and became the most popular bridal exhibitions in Kurunegala.This bridal exhibitions allowed brides and grooms to experience first hand the products and services available from suppliers in Sri Lanka
These wedding shows held at The Epitome created a benchmark and gave an opportunity for vendors to create connections to the utmost satisfaction said Harshan Lakshita Executive Director. of the magnificent Hotel
Our wedding shows featured experts and professionals in every field‘ It covered all areas of the bridal industry provided a comprehensive variety of bridal supplies from Sri lanka and became most popular bridal exhibition in this region.We are always open to everyone to join us at our wedding shows in the future. It is an opportunity to discover the incredible talent within our local wedding and bridal vendors to make meaningful relationships and plan thier special day at our breathtaking hotel The Epitome said General Manager Kavinda Caldera
The Epitome Hotel’s bridal show which will be held end of June will buzz with great ideas,advice and inspiration for all those who plan thier dream wedding
…….
The Hotel Epitome’s Wedding Season 3 will marked excellence, celebration and inspiration for those in the wedding industry. The exhibition halls will resonate with ideas on exquisite bridal wear to decor, florists , photography etc and showshowcase the rich tapestry of talent within the local wedding industry. .
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
