Dear Friends,

"So this is X’mas, what have you done? Another year over……" go the lyrics of John Lennon’s popular song! I would like to add that another year is over so quickly. Well, it’s a time to contemplate, take stock and look forward to a new year and new beginnings.

For us at Jetwing, a team of people primarily engaged in hospitality, the concluding year has been a good one. We were able to take more visitors from across the world around our Island home, sharing great Sri Lankan experiences this year. Sri Lanka has a history of over 2500 years, our cultural heritage is legendary, the bio diversity of the 65000 sq. kilometers of land is breathtaking, and the genuine smile on the face of Sri Lankan people will win you over and compel you to overlook any minor glitches! Jetwing has introduced culinary tours successfully and shared the secrets to our mouthwatering food. So, in case you have not shared any of this with us yet or have done so some time ago, I invite you to permit us to introduce you to these little gems. You will be touched by our warmth and promise to return, a promise you may not be able to keep only because our lives get caught up with many other things.

Ajith and I had the pleasure of driving across the Island via Kandy, Mahiyangana to Gal Oya last month. We were at the Gal Oya Lodge on the Inginiyagala Road. The Lodge has 9 units and has been built in an environmentally friendly manner. The Gal Oya National Park with its elephants and birds is an interesting safari away from the crowds. If you’re lucky, and the time of the year is right, a boat safari on the lake will show you the spectacle of swimming elephants, playing around with water splashed from their long trunks!

We had a slight delay with the opening of our Hotel in Colombo being now postponed to January ’17, but Jetwing Lake in Dambulla has just been declared open. Indika, the General Manager is a busy man these days getting everything sorted out. It is a beautiful property and will do Jetwing proud, in-fact very proud as the scenery surrounding the property is simply stunning and the Siyambalawewa Lake is almost at the pool. Once again, Architect Vinod Jayasinghe has created a beautiful property which blends in beautifully with the natural environment. The home garden patch also looks very tempting. I am eagerly waiting to spend some time in this new addition.

Anantara Kalutara has also come on board and the lobby of the Hilton Colombo has also reopened after the refurbishment. Many other Hotels are scheduled to open in the New Year. Of course as I write many new home stays and smaller properties are being introduced frequently.

Let me take this opportunity to thank you for being a client/fan or a potential client of Jetwing. We hope you too had a fulfilling and a satisfying year although it finished so fast. Hope you will have a great holiday season and a holy and peaceful X’mas with friends and family. My son is back home for X’mas and I’m eagerly looking forward to the many family times in the coming weeks!

Best Wishes from the Jetwing family to yours!

With Warm Greetings,