Sri Lanka's Mattala Airport Promoted at Travel Trade Show Berlin ITB. Number of Sri Lankan Travel & Tour and Hotel Firms Take Part in the Trade Fair

06th March 2012, www.dailynews.lk, By Shirajiv Sirimane

For the first time the Mattala International Airport would be marketed at the Travel Trade Show Berlin (ITB) as a strong team from the Aviation Authority is attending it. In addition a strong Sri Lankan contingent would be participating at the ITB which will begin tomorrow in Berlin, Germany. Speaking to Daily News Business, Airports and Aviation Services Limited (AASL), Chairman Prasanna Wickramasuriya said “ITB is the world's leading travel trade show and we intend to market passenger, cargo, courier and charter segments of the Mattala International Airport in Germany and other international markets in general through this year's ITB in Berlin.”

Travel and tourism accounts for 258 million jobs globally. At US $ 6 trillion (9.1% of GDP) the sector is a key driver for investment and economic growth and at a global level. It is larger than the automotive industry at 8% GDP, and just smaller than banking at 11%.

Raimund Hosch, CEO Messe Berlin GmbH, will welcome around 4,500 international industry representatives at the opening event.

Among those due to speak are Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Klaus Laepple, President of the German Tourism Industry (BTW).


Mounir Fahkri Abdel Nour, the Egyptian Minister for Tourism, will speak on behalf of Egypt, the partner country of ITB. “Our key challenge in the industry is to stimulate jobs and investment, eliminating barriers to travel such as visa restrictions, taxation, and outmoded infrastructure systems.

I am confident that these issues will be addressed at Europe's premier travel trade fair - ITB Berlin. It is the key place to learn about new trends, market developments, and to deepen existing business relations,” he said.

The following companies would participate in the event:

Airwing Tours, Aitken Spence Travels (Pvt) Ltd, Amaya Leisure PLC, Andrew the Travel Company (Pvt) Limited, Asian Adventures, Asian Exotica Ltd, Asian Wings, Barberyn Ayurveda Resorts, CCC Solutions (Pvt) Limited, Ceylon Tea Trails (Pvt) Ltd, Ceylon Tours Limited, Citrus Leisure PLC, Colombo Fort Hotels Limited, Columbus Tours Pvt Ltd, Connaissance De Ceylan Pvt Ltd, Crystal Holidays (Pvt) Ltd, Eco Team (Pvt) Ltd, Get Into Lanka Travels and Tours (Pvt) Ltd, Goldi Sands Hotels Limited, Hawk Travels Pvt Ltd, Hayleys Tours, Heritage Expediciones (Pvt) Ltd, Hilton Colombo, Hotel Clarion, JF Tours and Travels, Jetwing Hotels Ltd, Jetwing Travels, JourneyScapes (Pvt) Ltd, Koggala Beach Hotel, Lanka Holidays.net, Lanka Sportreizen, Let's Travels (Pvt) Ltd, LOLC Leisure, Mahaweli Reach Hotel, Mandara Hotels and Rosen Tours, Mount Lavinia Hotel / Club Bentota, NKAR Travels and Tours (Pvt) Ltd, Oasis Ayurveda, Orient Tours, Pigeon Island Beach Resort, Ramada Colombo, Serendib Leisure Management Limited, Serene Pavillion (Pvt) Ltd, Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort, Sunway Holidays, Taj Hotels - Sri Lanka, Tangerine Group of Hotels, Tangerine Tours Ltd, Taprospa Spa's and Resort and Mackwood Travels, The Blue Water, The Fortress, Uga Resorts and United Holidays (Pvt) Ltd, and Walkers Tours Limited.


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Architect 2012 Trade Exhibition from 22 - 26 February. This Year Theme: Regenerating Sri Lanka, the Architect and the Built Environment

22nd February 2012, tops.lk

Architect 2012 takes place from February 22 to 26 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH). In its 30th consecutive year, the Annual Sessions of the SLIA includes a line of events that takes place during the four day period.

The Annual Sessions this year is aptly themed as ‘Regenerating Sri Lanka, the Architect and the Built Environment’ and will commence with the inauguration ceremony on February 22, followed by the opening of the Members’ Work and Trade Exhibition. The National Conference on Architecture will be held on February 23 while the Annual General Meeting and the Fellowship Night will be held on February 25.

SLIA President Archt. Ranjan Nadesapillai said that the theme ‘Regenerating Sri Lanka, the Architect and the Built Environment’ was selected keeping in mind the government’s focus to make Sri Lanka the Wonder of Asia.

The four day sessions will include the participation of distinguished dignitaries from Sri Lanka and well- known foreign Architects. The main component of the Annual Sessions is the Members’ Work and Trade Exhibition to be held for the 29th consecutive year.

The exhibition has proved to be the foremost exhibition in the country’s building industry with over seventy thousand visiting it. The exhibition creates a platform for architects to showcase their work.

The creativity of Architects is recognized through annual awards for design, colour, and the Young Architect of the Year award. Local entrepreneurs who manufacture quality innovative building materials as well as trade stalls that offer innovative displays are also recognized through award schemes.

The National Conference of the 2012 Annual Sessions will be addressed by Archt. Prof. Jan Gehl from Denmark, an expert in city planning, renowned Architect Prof. Frans van der Werf from the Netherlands and Prof. Nalini Thakur from India who is an expert on heritage conservation.

The experts from Sri Lanka will include Eng. Janaka Kurukulasuriya, Currently Additional Secretary Ministry of Defence and former Chairman of the UDA, Archt. Ashley de Vos, Archt. Prof. L.S.R. Perera, Archt. Dr. Janaka Wijesundera, Archt. Madhura Prematilleke, Archt. Thisara Thanapathy and Dr. Anila Bandaranaike. The conference will be attended by SLIA members, students of architecture and several distinguished invitees from other professional bodies and the government sector.

Students from the two seats of architectural education in Sri Lanka, the Faculty of Architecture University of Moratuwa and the City School of Architecture Colombo will also participate at the National Conference and the Exhibition.

The two concluding events of the Annual Sessions include the Annual General Meeting and the Fellowship Night. During the Annual General Meeting a new Council for the SLIA will be elected. The sessions end with the Fellowship Night.

The ‘Architect 2012’ is organized by the SLIA together with the support of their strategic sponsor Alumex (Pvt) Ltd, associate sponsor Niro Granite from Ranjanas Ceramic, event sponsors Lanka Tiles, Mercantile Fortunes, Lankem Robbialac Paints.

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Sri Lanka Footwear & Leather Industry Show Remarkable Growth. Trade Show from 5 to 7 November 2010

01st November 2010, www.dailynews.lk, By Indunil Hewage

The Sri Lankan footwear industry has recorded a remarkable growth last year and a positive growth is also expected in the industry during this year. “More new players are coming to the footwear industry and many factories are opening in the face of existing healthy environment in the country.

More opportunities will be created in the Northern and Eastern areas in the future with the further developments in the industry,” Footwear Advisory Chairman Ranjith Hettiarachchi said. He said the Sri Lankan footwear industry has reached international level and is capable of fulfilling the local footwear requirements now.

Sri Lanka has a limited market and identifies new markets and foreign buyers for exporting Sri Lankan footwear products.

Arrangements have been made by authorities to have a safety net to protect the industry from cheap imported footwear coming from various countries to Sri Lanka.

“The lack of operating staff and leather has hampered the growth of the industry. The current workforce in the footwear sector is around 30,000 and the industry is engaged in importing leather from Chennai, India. In addition to that, raw material and machinery can be imported duty free to Sri Lanka now. This shows the platform has been made to develop the footwear industry similar to the international footwear market,” Hettiarachchi said.

A Sri Lankan delegation was sent to China recently with the assistance of the Export Development Board to obtain an idea about technical improvements in the footwear industry in China.

Earlier, two batches comprising Sri Lankan footwear designers and technicians underwent training at the Footwear Design and Development Institute in India with the assistance of the Industry and Commerce Ministry. “We are at the discussion level to set up training centres in the country and are in the planning stage to draw a five year master plan for the industry.

Having understood the commercial value of the footwear industry, ‘Footwear and Leather Fair 2010’ from November 5 to 7, will be held at the BMICH.

Industry and Commerce Ministry, Industrial Development Board and Sri Lanka Footwear and Leather Products Manufactures Association are organizing this. A special area has been reserved at the fair to display footwear and leather merchandise in terms of quality and designs capability.