The Leisure Sector of John Keells Holdings PLC was represented by its two key players - namely, 'Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts' and 'Chaaya Hotels & Resorts' - at World Travel Market 2008 in London from 9-12 November 2008.

Staged annually in London under one roof, World Travel Market (WTM) is a must attend, business-to-business exhibition. WTM provides a unique opportunity for the whole global travel trade industry to meet, network, negotiate, conduct business and stay abreast with the latest developments in the travel industry.

The stalls of the two companies were strikingly branded and the distinctive decor was well-appreciated. Located prominently, the 'Cinnamon' stall displayed the vibrant colors and indulgent ambience of the brand, while the 'Chaaya' stall created a visual atmosphere of the different experiences made possible through the 'Chaaya' brand. The stalls were visited by Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Milinda Moragoda.

Representing the Cinnamon and Chaaya Hotels and Resorts stall were Mr. Jayantissa Kehelpannala, Executive Vice President- John Keells Holdings PLC and Sector Head of Leisure Resorts, Mr. Channa Jayasundara, Asst. Vice President- John Keells Maldivian Resorts and Head of Sales and Marketing- Maldivian Resorts and Mr. Mani Sugathapala, Asst. Vice President- John Keells Holdings PLC and Head of Sales and Marketing- Sri Lankan Resorts.

Keells Resort Hotels owns and operates 11 destinations spread out all over Sri Lanka and the Maldives, under both the 'Cinnamon' and 'Chaaya' brands.

Nilmini Dissanayake of Chaaya Village, Habarana, emerged 1st Runner-up at the annual Asia Pacific Bartender's Competition held on 20th August, 2008 at the Good Wood Park Hotel, Singapore.

A hostess at Chaaya Village, Nilmini was shortlisted from a total of 14 bartenders representing various countries, including Japan, Italy, Korea, Thailand and the UK, to be amongst the best 6 candidates, due to her exceptional performance at a very closely contested semi-final round.

Nilmini secured the 1st runner up position with yet another brilliant performance in concocting the perfect cocktail for the 'Classic Cocktail Category'.
Born in Kiribathkumbura (near Pilimatalawa) and educated at the Peradeniya Junior Secondary School, Nilmini has successfully passed her G.C.E (Ordinary Level) exam and excelled in netball and dancing whilst in school. Joining the team at Chaaya Village as a hostess in March 2006, Nilmini started her winning streak in June 2008, by emerging as the winner in the 'Classical Category' in the Cultural Triangle leg of the National Bartending competition. Having then been sent to the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management for further training to enhance her talents, Nilmini was selected among the 17 contestants for the Grand Final in Colombo. Living up to everyone's expectations, Nilmini emerged the winner in the 'Classical Category' at national level in the Grand Finals held at the Waters Edge, Colombo in July 2008.

Jayantissa Kehelpannala, Executive Vice President, John Keells Holdings PLC and Sector Head - Resort Hotels, said, "Nilmini has brought honour and glory, not only to the Chaaya brand, but also to Sri Lanka. It is after a period of 14 years that a Sri Lankan has achieved a milestone of this magnitude in the Asia-Pacific, where bartenders from England, Italy and Sweden also participated on invitation. We consider it a privilege to have her as a part of our team and we wish her well in setting her mark in the international arena in the future too."

Cinnamon Island Alidhoo was conferred the prestigious Grand PATA award for the 'Education and Training' category at a sparkling presentation luncheon held in Hyderabad, India on 19 September 2008.

Titled 'We shared and we cared', the Cinnamon Island Alidhoo award-winning project is a new School of Hospitality at its premises. The initiative began as an energetic local recruitment drive and gradually snowballed into an unprecedented opportunity for the women and young people of the Barah and Utheem islands in the Maldives, to transform themselves into well-trained hoteliers. Starting this year, the resort's parent company, Keells Hotel Management Services Limited, invested to operate a hotel school in which the curriculum is focused on providing the youth of the islands neighbouring Cinnamon Island Alidhoo with skills that would equip them to enter the industry.

In an economy which revolves around the hospitality industry, the School of Hospitality is indeed a boon to the population, endowing the interested with the proficiency and expertise to break into the industry and contribute to society. It represents an exciting phase in the lives of these individuals: training womenfolk, enhancing their confidence and developing excellent employees who would be solid team members in a dynamic workplace.

Commenting on the award, Jayantissa Kehelpannala, Sector Head - Resort Hotels and Executive Vice President- John Keells Group, said, "We are delighted to receive this PATA award, for it is a reflection of the strength and spirit of the brand. The School of Hospitality is the off-spring of our foray into truly sustainable development, which lives by a win-win ethic. This is an initiative that benefits the people as much as the industry and I am glad we have been instrumental in making a difference."

He also expressed his thanks to Masters DDB, who did an excellent job in preparing and presenting the application, helping it to stand out amongst the many received - a total of 258 entries from 108 travel and tourism organisations!"

Cinnamon Island Alidhoo is the flagship resort of Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts - the John Keells Group's premier hospitality brand - and was the first Cinnamon branded resort in the Maldives, unveiled on the 1 July, 2007. It is the first of its kind established in the widely undiscovered atoll of Haa Alifu which is in the northern most part of the Maldives.

The other three PATA Grand Awards have been given to Singapore Airlines in the Marketing category; Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation for Heritage; and Nihiwatu Resort, Indonesia for the Environment. In addition to the four Grand Awards, 22 Gold Awards were also given to travel-related organisations and individuals.

PATA is an association that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of the Asia Pacific travel and tourism industry. Through the Gold Awards presented by them annually, they aim to recognise exceptional achievement in this sphere and the winning projects set an industry benchmark for excellence and innovation, serving as examples for others to follow.

John Keells Holdings PLC the largest player in the industry with over 2100 rooms both in Sri Lanka and the Maldives and the leader in Destination Management Services handling the largest number of tourist arrivals to the country has pioneered several new innovations in the tourism sector. With over 30 years of experience in hospitality services, in 2005 the Group embarked on a re-branding initiative and has launched two distinct home-grown brands; "Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts" - an up-scale tier of hotels and "Chaaya Hotels & Resorts" - an experience to holiday in with nature and the environment. The John Keells Group Destination Management Companies were the first to expand into the region with very successful operations in the Maldives and India. Therefore, it was no surprise when they carried away an array of prestigious awards presented at the inaugural Presidential Awards for Travel and Tourism.

The John Keells Group and its subsidiary companies are deeply committed to Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainable development. This commitment was reflected in the Presidential Corporate Social Responsibility Industry Award won by Chaaya Village Habarana for its outstanding contribution to the community. The 'Halmillawa Village Up-liftment' is a project of John Keells Social Responsibility Foundation and is implemented by Chaaya Village Habarana. It seeks to give meaningful support to the village and its inhabitants through Pre-School Teaching, Vocational Training, Youth Development, Empowerment of Women, Computer and English language training in the hope that the villagers gain not just knowledge and qualifications but the pre-requisites for employment as well. At Chaaya Hotels and Resorts the people, their livelihoods and ways of life are very much a part of the experience that mirrors the essence of a certain time and sprit manifesting the culture, history and environment that surrounds the hotel.

The award for the Best Effort in Tourism Marketing went to the launch campaign for Chaaya Hotels and Resorts. Executed by Masters DDB and unveiled at the International Tourist Fair in Berlin (ITB), the campaign in its many dimensions brought to life the Brand's promise of 'One Journe,. Many paths' in new and innovative ways. While the brand broke new ground in introducing the concept of 'Experience Packages' which were unique to the location of each Chaaya property, the marketing and advertising needed to 'showcase' these offerings and present them to travellers in an enticing manner. Chaaya Hotels and Resorts have since launched 5 resort hotels in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Chaaya Village Habarana was also recognized internationally and awarded the PATA Gold award in the Environment/ Eco tourism field, after competing against several international entrants within the Asia Pacific region. The resort prides itself on its eco friendly practices and believes passionately in developing the community and protecting and enhancing the environment. The hotel endeavors to incessantly provide its visitors, a travel destination rich in cultural and natural beauty, while ensuring that the eco system or life style of the local population remains undisturbed. Chaaya Village has top processors in place, having earned ISO for ISO 22000, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001. A PATA Gold Award for Marketing Media - CD Rom category was also won by Chaaya Hotels and Resorts for the Corporate Communication CD which was developed to promote the Chaaya Brand.