Circular to the Industry - WTM Travel Fair 3rd to 6th November 2014 London UK

03rd – 06th November 2014

Excel, London

www.wtmlondon.com

Sri Lanka Stand No: AS 130

The 2nd largest global event of the Travel and Tourism Trade, the World Travel Market (WTM) is scheduled from 03rd– 06th November 2014 at the Excel Centre, (Docklands) London, to promote international travel throughout the world. It is a platform for buyers and sellers from various countries to renew their business contacts, to look for new business opportunities, and to get an update on tourism trends. WTM attracts more than 30,000 visitors, and 5,000 trade partners from 200 countries. Over 500 travel agents and 300 tour operators (from around the world) who sell Sri Lanka are also expected to visit WTM. Sri Lanka Tourism has been participating at this event for many years along with the industry partners.

Objectives of Sri Lanka participation

1. To provide the Sri Lankan travel industry an opportunity to meet, interact and network with Travel and Tourism industry partners by sharing the cost with SLTPB.
2. To gain immediate competitive advantage for the Sri Lankan travel industry and stay abreast with the latest developments in the travel industry.
3. To provide the Small & Medium Hotels and Travel Agents (SME sector) a valuable opportunity to participate at WTM at a concessionary rate.
4. Provide an opportunity for the industry partners to network and canvass for new business / investments.

Participation fee for Trade Partners

The participation fee will be £ 1,750 per company.

This will include:

1. Table with electricity
2. Two chairs
3. A lockable cupboard
4. 2 entrance badges

Two tables are placed side to side and divided by a separator. All exhibitors will be on the ground floor.

The participation fee for SME companies will be £ 875 (50% of the full cost).

Additional Facilities

1. 2 common meeting areas
2. Tea & refreshments for invitees
3. Internet kiosk with 01 computer (recommend that a Wi-Fi USB is purchased in UK @ £ 30 to avoid queuing/ and associated hassle at the venue)
4. Common cloak room
5. Lunch facilities – optional
6. A booklet / directory (3000 copies) would be printed with all the contact details of the participating trade partners and distributed at WTM.

Those companies who are interested in taking part at WTM this year are requested to complete the form below and send the confirmations to priyanga@srilanka.travel and infouk@srilanka.travel on or before 01st August 2014 together with an advance payment of £ 875, (which is inclusive of a non refundable deposit of £350) drawn in favor of “Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau”.

The balance payment of £ 875 should be made on or before 15th September 2014. The payments will be accepted in equivalent rupees as per the SLAITO conversion rate on the date of the payment.

SME Participation at WTM 2014

The participation fee for SME companies will be £ 875 (50% of the full cost). The companies willing to participate under SME at WTM should forward the completed form given below with required documents along with an advance payment of £ 400 on or before 01st August 2014 for evaluation by SLTPB.

If such company gets qualified for participation under SME, the balance of £475 should be paid on or before 15th September 2014. Maximum of 8 SME companies will be given an opportunity to participate (on sharing basis) on first come first served basis. Priority will be given for those companies not participated last year at WTM under SME category. Two representatives from each company will be allowed to participate under SME.

Click Here Download the Circular for WTM 2014

The Melheim Resort

The Melheim Resort is an idyllic cocoon located in Beragala, Haputale. A three and a half hour drive from Colombo; worth every minute spent to partake of the breathtaking and mind numbing soothe of the resort. Endlessly enchanting is the ever changing grandeur of the sky; shrouded in mist one moment and a carpet of blue the next, and the evening, the glorious evening with its blazing blend of hues is a spine tingling experience. Bordered by thick forest reserves nearby boasting of a variety of bird species; the incessant rhythmic chirp, will surely have bird enthusiasts appeased. The surrounding mountains expand in a panoramic view and the nature trails and treks provide the adventurous, plenty of pleasure and the less-daring, just a simple evening stroll. Scenic train rides and visits to the forests, leaves everyone with something to do. Arugam Bay, Yala and Kataragama are three hours away. Gushing in the neighborhood are famous Sri Lankan waterfalls Diyaluma, Dunhida ,Bambarakanda and Duvili Ella. Magnificent and brooding in the vicinity are the Horton Plains and World’s End.

THIS WAY TO THE ARK

The Ark is situated in Matugama, approximately 64 km to the south of Colombo and just 2.45 hours’ drive from the Colombo International Airport. Distance From Airport: 90 Km (2.45 hour drive) Distance From Colombo: 60 Km (2 hour drive) Travel time on the southern highway from Kottawa Entry point to Welipenna exit point would be approximately half an hour. The Ark is situated 6 Km from the Welipenna exit point

Mani Kattuther

This is a rock in the Labookelle estate. Lord Hanuman met Sitadevi and on his way to announce this happy information to Lord Rama, rested on this hill top. The hilltop where Lord Hanuman is believed to have rested after meeting Sitadevi is known as Mani Kattuther. Today an open temple with statues of Lord Rama , Sitadevi, Lakshmana and Lord hanuman stands on top of it . Locals visit the temple often.

Pro Food, Pro Pack and Agbiz 2014

The International Processed Food, Beverage, Packaging and Agricultural Exhibition is to be held at Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Center on August 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, 2014.Showcasing nearly 1000 new products and services of 300 companies from nearly twenty countries, the exposition will include stakeholders from Agriculture, Poultry, Livestock and food trades.

Adventure Sports

Trekking and Hiking

With multitude of roads winding through expanding mountains, lush green forests, paddy fields, parks and sleepy villages, Sri Lanka offers a plethora of opportunities to the Keen hikers and trekkers. The highlands of Sri Lanka with virgin rain forests, sacred mountains, lush tea gardens and plains filled with rare birds and insects coupled with mild temperatures and welcoming smiles of the villagers provide the ideal setting to an unforgettable walking experience.

Diving

Surrounded by the Indian Ocean with its coral gardens, multitudeof exotic fishes and ancient wrecks Sri Lanka offers one of the best diving experiences in the world. The colorful coral gardens along southern coasts and old and new ship wrecks around the Galle harbor and little and great basses are the favourite Sri Lankan dive sites yet Kalpitiya, Ampara and Trincomalee in Eastern and Western coasts offering rare chances of wreck diving, skin diving and diving with dolphins.

Deep Sea Fishing

Surrounded by the Indian Ocean and filled with fresh water reservoir inland, Sri Lanka is the hidden paradise for extreme anglers. With a shoreline of 1,140 miles and a continental shelf of 10,000 square miles, the seas around Sri Lanka is one of the most challenging marine game fishing locations while The outfalls of 103 major river basins and hundreds of estuaries, lagoons and coastal lakes all around the country are yet to be fully explored by sporting anglers.Surrounded by the Indian Ocean and filled with fresh water reservoir inland, Sri Lanka is the hidden paradise for extreme anglers. With a shoreline of 1,140 miles and a continental shelf of 10,000 square miles, the seas around Sri Lanka is one of the most challenging marine game fishing locations while The outfalls of 103 major river basins and hundreds of estuaries, lagoons and coastal lakes all around the country are yet to be fully explored by sporting anglers.

Rock Climbing

Experience the thrills of crumbling rocks beneath the feet, head spinning heights and the earth expanding beneath conquering the mountains of Sri Lanka. The ranges of mountains standing guard around the highlands of Sri Lanka including the Knuckles range, Ella range, Habarana, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Horton Plains and Buttala provide challenging climbs to armature as well as experienced climbers. The newest experience in mountaineering in waterfall climbing with exciting climbs like the rock face of Bambarakanda waterfall, the tallest in the country.

Hot Air Ballooning

Roam the skies of Sri Lanka enjoying the signs and sites from the heavens above. Floating at heights of 500 to 2000 feet on average,effortlessly drift over the treetops, wildlife, lakes & rivers, cultural sites, local urban homesteads & landmarks like Sigiriya Rock. The sunrise rides are offered at day break to enhance the experience by accompanying the sights and sounds with magical experience of dawn.

Whale Watching

The ocean around Sri Lanka is the home to the gentle giants and the performers of the ocean. Dolphins and whales parade their presence at various locations around Sri Lanka during the months of December, January, February, March and April. Being situated on and around the migrating routes of whales and dolphins, Sri Lanka is in a vantage point to observe the migration of 26 species of cetaceans including blue whales, sperm whales, pilot whales, fin whales and a large variety of dolphins.

The Galle Face Hotel

Galle Face Hotel is located in the heart of the city. This was built by British Entrepreneurs at that time in 1864 and the Galle Face Hotel is a Luxury Heritage masterpiece boasting Victorian architecture and having offered exceptional hospitality over the year.

Amangalla - Galle

In the historic port of Galle, Amangalla sits within the ramparts of the 17th-century Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Named after the Sanskrit word for ‘peace’, and galla, the Sinhalese word for the town of Galle, the resort reveals the Fort’s daily activities and its rich legacy, the narrow streets lined with buildings from the Dutch and British colonial eras.