Mesmerizing Vesak Tours on the Colombo City Tour

Vesak is a time when Colombo comes alive with colour and spiritual festivity. It is an ideal and perfect time to showcase the city of Colombo amidst these unique celebrations. The Colombo City Tour, a unique venture by Sri Lanka Tourism offer exclusive and mesmerizing evening tours to both foreign visitors and Sri Lankans to view Colombo like never before during Vesak, on board its unique open deck double decker buses.

The tours will commence from Galle Face Hotel for three memorable evenings on the 5th, 6th and 7th of May 2012. Scheduled for approximately 3 ½ hours, the Colombo City Tour will sightsee numerous colorful Vesak zones, many pandols and other vibrant activities scattered across the city. The tickets will be priced separately for upper and lower deck seating with snacks also served on board while on tour.

The Vesak Tours have been a specialty eagerly looked forward to by the young and old alike, now for many seasons. “We are happy to operate 2 open deck double decker coaches for the first time during this Vesak. This is taking into account the many we had to turn down during the last season. It is a time of spiritual festivity and this Vesak will undoubtedly light and liven up the city of Colombo which is now opening up into a beautiful garden city.”. The venture has now gained immense popularity and heightened the value of touristic experiences the city of Colombo has to offer to its visitors from around the world.

Regular tours are operated three days a week, i.e. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. With both morning and evening tours starting off from the Galle Face Hotel and The Courtyard, the old Dutch Hospital. The weekend city tours give its guests on board comprehensive and matchless views into the less known history and importance of Sri Lanka’s foremost city, that is a rare blend of many cultures in a tapestry of ‘old and new’.

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Source: srilanka.travel

Sri Lanka Tourism to Introduce fully automated licensing system

In order to cater to the growing need of new establishments in the tourism sector Srilanka Tourism Development Authority has introduced a fully automated licensing system. All registered establishments will be able to renew their license and obtain necessary documentation in few hours while new registrations can lodge all applications on line for processing.

SLTDA focus at present is to make sure that our services are provided in efficient and effective manner. We want our customers to spend minimum time in getting our approvals and license. This system will ensure that all applications can be handled on time as well as effectively and efficiently'' said Dr.Nalaka Godehwa Chairman Srilanka tourism.

The new system which will be operational from 1st May will store data of each application along with inspection reports photo graphs and other documents.

'Manuel system took long time for document acceptance and verification. Sometimes applicant had to come several times and each year same documents had to be produced. We streamlined the entire process and introduced one day service. Automation really helped the staff to increase their productivity and provide a better service for the customers'' said Dileep Mudadeniya Head of standards, quality assurance and investments.

Licensing and renewal is a key income generator for the organization and it has continued to grow since 2009. At present SLTDA has over 6800 registered establishments in the island covering over 22 categories of tourist service providers. It includes tourist hotels, guest houses, travel agents, Restaurants, home stays, bungalow, boat operators, tour guides, chauffeur guides, jeep operators etc.

Source: www.srilanka.travel