The Horton Plain Plateau

The Horton Plain Plateau, is a secluded wilderness sanctuary 2130 m high and offers one of Sri Lanka`s most unforgettable views. Here the land plunges down a dizzy gorge to the southern foot hills and on clear days, even a glimpse of the sea more than 80 km away. The Horton Plains are the habitat of giant Rhododendron (an evergreen shrub with large clusters of trumpet shaped flowers), tree fern primrose and daffodil orchids and birds such as the Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush and Arrenga, the Shaggy Bear monkey and the blue mormon butterfly and many other endemic and endangered montane species. Traditionally called 'Maha Eliya' the Horton Plains was founded by Sir Robert Hortain, the British Governor in 1831-37. and established as a nature reserve in 1969 and a National Park in 1988.: The Horton Plain Plateau, is a secluded wilderness sanctuary 2130 m high and offers one of Sri Lanka's most unforgettable views. Here the land plunges down a dizzy gorge to the southern foot hills and on clear days, even a glimpse of the sea more than 80 km away. The Horton Plains are the habitat of giant Rhododendron (an evergreen shrub with large clusters of trumpet shaped flowers), tree fern primrose and daffodil orchids and birds such as the Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush and Arrenga, the Shaggy Bear monkey and the bl

NKAR Travels & Tours will participate at GIBTM 2012

GIBTM (Gulf Incentive Business Traveler Meetings Exhibition) the leading event for the meetings, incentives and business travel industry in the GCC Region, unlocking business potential within the Middle East for inbound and outbound business professionals. The exhibition will be held on 26^th to 28^th March in Abu Dhabi.

Business Tourism destinations from the Middle East and around the world showcase a diverse range of products and services to enhance any meeting, conference, incentive or business travel project for corporate, association and agency event planners and buyers.

NKAR Travels & Tours will be exhibiting with Sri Lankan Convention bureau at GIBTM as a co exhibiter, Dhanushka Wijeyekoon - Assistant Marketing Manager (NKAR travels & Tours) & Sampath Nilusha - Manager Middle East Market will be representing NKAR at GIBTM.

 

 

Adventure rafting in Sri Lanka

Lanka's boulder stream rivers are the ideal setting for white water rafting. This is the best way to see the stunning environment what this region has to offer. Many tours are arranged and it begins with days of action, rafting the white waters. This high adventure is suitable for fish time ‘go for it' rafters and experts alike. Along one ride you can pass the scenic location outside. Rafting has become a very popular exciting get safe adventure sport option.

If you're looking for an action-packed adventure on the water, why not go for a white water experience in the numerous rapids found in Sri Lanka ? This activity is great fun for first-timers and experts alike, with a wide range and grading of rapids on some of Sri Lanka 's more turbulent waters such as the Kelani river. Kitulgala in the hill country, southwest of Kandy provides an ideal base from which many white water rafting tours take place. Tours can be arranged for anything from 1 hour to a half-day including lunch.

Lanka's boulder stream rivers are the ideal setting for white water rafting. This is the best way to see the stunning environment what this region has to offer. Many tours are arranged and it begins with days of action, rafting the white waters. This high adventure is suitable for fish time ‘go for it' rafters and experts alike. Along one ride you can pass the scenic location outside. Rafting has become a very popular exciting get safe adventure sport option.

Approximately 80 kilometres from Colombo on the A7 - the road to Nuwara Eliya via Avissawella - is Kitulgala, a pleasant town whose name is derived from the kitul tree, vast numbers of which grow in the area. Kitulgala had a brush with fame when it was chosen as the location for David Lean's 1957 epic, Bridge on the River Kwai. The film crews and stars may be long gone, but many still stop here to gaze across the Kelani River where once stood the most famous bridge in cinematic history. You have to use your memory to fill in the missing timbers, but as the film is screened so often that shouldn't be a problem.

Sri Lanka's spring fed boulder rivers flow through wild tropical jungles are the ideal setting for white water rafting. Whether it's a half day or full day excursion or as an activity of a multi day tour itinerary White Water Rafting is a must do activity for young and not so young alike. This activity which doesn't require swimming capabilities at all is ideal for the amateurs who wish to 'take the plunge' and for experts as well.

Our main rafting location Kithulgala had a bout of fame, when it was chosen as a prime location in the filming of , David Lean's 1957 award winning film 'Bridge on the River Kwai.' The Kelani River ( one of the main river's of Sri Lanka) flows through the Kitulgala's rock strewn sections and the rapids provide ample pleasure for the adventure sport of white water rafting.

The actual run takes about 1 ½ hours to 3 hours[ depends on how much time you want to spend in water to complete with encounters of grade 2 and 3 rapids, bearing unique names such as Butter Crunch, Killer Falls, Head Chopper and Virgin's Breast

 

                                                                                                         By Dhanushka Wijeyekoon
Assistant Marketing Manager
NKAR Travels & Tours Pvt Ltd

 

Better times for Sri Lankan Meetings industry

Better times for Sri Lankan Meetings industry

Experience the difference ! Experience  value for Money! are the slogans in the ‘Meet in Sri Lanka campaign’ which has brought an increasing number of MICE tourists into Sri Lanka over the last three years recording well over 12% of the total    visitors into the country.

The new Convention and Exhibition Centre is coming up in Hambantota, the South of Sri Lanka and will be completed by June 2012. With capacity to house over 1500 delegates and ample Exhibition space, Conference business will take a new turn with the development of the International Airport , just 15 minutes away from the Convention  centre.

Colombo, the commercial Capital of Sri Lanka continues to attract many delegates.

Colombo is  a Shoppers Paradise,  The city comes alive at night with pool parlors, karaoke bars, night clubs, pubs  and casinos.  A wide range of international and

Asian cuisines are offered in exclusive restaurants and food courts.

The city has 2 state of the art  Conference & Exhibition Centres.  Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall – the BMICH, is the first purpose-built Convention centre in South Asia which has been modernised and expanded to accommodate more exhibitions. Further expansion will take place to accommodate more events. The other is the Sri Lankan Exhibition and Convention Centre which has become popular for exhibitions in the region. There are also Conference  Hotels,  From heritage 3 star to 5 star  with  seating capacity from  50 pax – 1500 pax. Meetings and conference is a big business for these city hotels in the last few years.

Instead of the hustle and bustle, many organisers consider having their meetings by the shores in Sri Lanka.  Sri Lanka is an Island with beaches from North Western Coast to South Western coast.  Another option is to climb the hills where the beautiful sceneries like the waterfalls that cascade down to the forest below, will inspire you. In the mountains, there is city of Kandy. The Last Kingdom of Sri Lanka and the home for the Temple of the Lord Buddha’s Tooth Relic.   The city of  Kandy is  a world heritage site and has a World Famous Botanical Garden and Golf Link.

If you climb further up you arrive at the city called little England – Nuwara Eliya. You see the green velvet tea plantations where the ‘ Ceylon tea’ comes from. The visitors have many leisure options including from Horse Riding, Fresh Water fishing and, visiting Country Pubs.   Corporate meeting planners also opt to book venues in the Cultural Triangle in Sri Lanka. The reason is obvious.  Sri Lanka is a home for several  world heritage sites.

In all these locations, accommodation and meeting facilities are offered. There are also  facilities for corporate training programs and natural settings for exclusive incentives.

Our MICE industry consists of experts not only in handling conferences but also in offering creative programs taking the full advantage of the diverse products in the region. Be it floating on a hot air balloon or  Taking group journey in a steam engine train that existed in the colonial times,  Or  ride on bullock cart Or even an elephant ride and many more.

MICE industry in Sri Lanka capitalises on innovatively worked out programs for Incentives based on customer preferences both expressed and not hitherto experienced. The Industry works on value added offers and differentiated products. ` Sharpen mind through meditation,  ‘ ‘Nature treatment and Self development’  ‘ Ayrvedic healing ’,  ‘ Towards  illness free mind and body, are some of the value additions that only a few could challenge in the region in Incentive business when carried out with authenticity.

Incentive groups have been fascinated with opportunities to sell vegetable in a vegetable stall, or join the village fishers for a half day traditional fishing session.

There are many team building Exercises for corporates  - Treasure hunts,  Water based activities like Rafting,  Rescue operations, and many more. They may also engage in sports from Golfing to cycling. Spiritual tourism is a new phenomenon that is getting fast popular as against the days where action oriented or activity oriented holidays were sought after.

Sri Lanka Convention Bureau works in partnership with SriLankan Airlines and its members are consisting of Professional Congress & Exhibition Organizers

Destination Management Companies,  Conference & Exhibition Centers, Support Services, Hotels – Both City Hotels and Resort hotels.  Sri Lankan MICE industry provides professional expertise to suit niche requirements and a personalized service based on the requirement of the client through customized marketing.

Middle East is fast emerging as an attractive market for Sri Lanka with Corporates and Incentive groups looking for new destinations.  Sri Lankan MICE industry is hopeful that the Middle East will soon become a primary market in the coming years hence gearing itself to cater to the needs of visitors from the middle east.

Sri Lankan MICE industry delivers what it promises. That is why MICE tourism is gaining grounds in Sri Lanka. Today they send out the message to all prospective visitors at the GIBTM, Experience the difference ! Experience the value for Money! In Sri Lanka!. 

International Conference Hall in Hambanthota, a major boost for MICE Tourism in Sri Lanka

This International Conference Hall will be a massive strength for the proposed Commercial Urban Complex in Hambantota. The construction is being carried out by two Korean firms under the supervision of the Urban Development Authority. The conference hall which is of international standard will have all modern facilities. The massive Project will be an attraction of private investors to the South. There will also be lodging facilities for both local as well as foreign delegations. The auditorium will have a seating capacity of 1500. It will also comprise open air exhibition booths.

Dhanushka Wijeyekoon.
Assistant Marketing Manager
NKAR Travels & Tours Pvt Ltd – Sri Lanka

 

 

The Small Miracle – Sri Lanka !

National Geographic Traveler magazine has identified Sri Lanka among its top six destinations for world travelers in 2012, lauding the island nation’s heritage sites, exciting wildlife, lush landscapes, pristine beaches, unique cultural festivals & scrumptious food.

 Sri Lanka, a country with a recorded rich history of more than 2500 years has many heritage sites and has colonial historical architecture everywhere in the country since The Portuguese and Dutch once waged proxy wars here & by 1802 the island was a British colony.

It notes the successful conclusion of the most recent 30 years conflict, which eventually ended winning peace for the nation, has open doors for a greater economic development.

 Soon after the conflict ended Sri Lankan tourism has grown impressively, with a growth of 46% in 2010 followed by further growth of 30% in 2011.

With those increases, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has outlined a plan to reach a 45,000 hotel room capacity by 2016, when the total number of annual tourists is expected to reach 2.5 million. Special focus & effects are been put out to enhance the service quality 

Recently top hotel chains such as Sheraton, Marriott & Shangri La have announced plans for new investments in Sri Lanka. Currently approximately 2000 rooms have been shut for heavy refurbishments & renovations.

The virgin beaches of east cost of Sri Lanka are now blessed with quite a few developments of hotels reaching out to approximately 1000 rooms.

 Sri Lanka offers visitors a wide variety of unique venues, from broad white beaches to mountain vistas, wildlife parks teaming with elephants, leopards and more, rolling tea plantations, spas, adventure tourism, surfing and ancient UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

 With a trend setting for increase in tourism,  Sri Lanka has received a number of favorable travel reviews since 2010, Number of world renounced papers & magazines have rated Sri Lanka to be a promising tourist destination with New York times ranking as the number one place to visit in 2010.

By Dhanushka Wijeyekoon – Assistant Marketing Manager
NKAR Travels & Tours (Pvt) Ltd
Sri Lanka