Co-hosted by Sri Lanka Mission in New York with Turkish Airlines and Jetwing Travels,
the initiative aims at boosting tourism in Sri LankaArticle by: Nimal Karunatilake
The USA-Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce (USASLCC) joined “Facets of Sri Lanka” – a tourism event co-hosted by Sri Lanka Mission in New York with Turkish Airlines and Jetwing Travels and graced by many leading tour operators in the tri-state area and diplomatic corps based in New York.
In his welcome remarks, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, Mohan Peiris highlighted that Sri Lanka is ranked as one of the top tourist destinations in the world and is blessed with captivating scenic beauty, unparalleled biodiversity, a rich cultural heritage and several UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Addressing the gathering, General Manager Emre Ismailoglu, and Regional Manager Alp Ozaman of Turkish Airlines spoke on the strong partnership that Turkish Airlines enjoys with Sri Lanka and the facilities it offers to international travelers. Turkish Airlines, which currently operates seven flights per week from New York to Colombo via Istanbul and Male, looks forwards to doubling this frequency to fourteen flights per week from Istanbul to Colombo.
Representing Jetwing Travels, one of the leading players in the Sri Lankan hospitality industry, its Chairman Shiromal Cooray and Executive Director Raju Arasaratnam also spoke during the occasion. Their presentations covered the star-class facilities and the highly attractive offers available at Jetwing Hotels in Sri Lanka and its subsidiaries such as Jetwing Holidays, Jetwing Air, Jetwing Events, Jetwing Adventure, and Jet Leisure Maldives.
The evening also witnessed a ‘tea tasting’ demonstration conducted by Rasika Wickramasinghe of Basilur Tea, a well-known tea company in Sri Lanka. The demo provided the guests with an opportunity to taste a variety of the finest Ceylon teas, including some of the special teas grown in different agroclimatic regions on the island.
The USASLCC Treasurer Nalaka Dias and its Directors Chandana Goonetilleke and Vajira Gunawardana represented the chamber on this occasion, which was hosted at the Sri Lanka Mission to the United Nations in New York on June 20th.
The “Facets of Sri Lanka” marked a timely initiative that aimed at boosting much needed tourism revenue for Sri Lanka at a time when the island nation strives to navigate through one of the most critical economic junctures in its history.
The USA-Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce (USASLCC) joined “Facets of Sri Lanka” – a tourism event co-hosted by Sri Lanka Mission in New York with Turkish Airlines and Jetwing Travels and graced by many leading tour operators in the tri-state area and diplomatic corps based in New York.
In his welcome remarks, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, Mohan Peiris highlighted that Sri Lanka is ranked as one of the top tourist destinations in the world and is blessed with captivating scenic beauty, unparalleled biodiversity, a rich cultural heritage and several UNESCO World Heritage sites.
