Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort receives ‘Tourism InSPIRE Award 2015’ from PATA

Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort received the Tourism InSPIRE Award 2015 for Best Culture and Heritage Tourism Provider. Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) presented the Tourism InSPIRE Awards at a special awards ceremony on Friday, 27 November, at the PATA New Tourism Frontiers Forum 2015 in Legazpi, Albay, Philippines.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research and innovative events to its member organisations, comprising 87 governments, state and city tourism bodies, nearly 31 international airlines, airports and cruise lines, 61 educational institutions, and hundreds of travel industry companies in Asia Pacific and beyond. Siddhalepa Health Resort has won this award outperforming all the other countries in whole of Asia Pacific region. 

The Tourism InSPIRE (Industry’s Sustainability Practitioners Inspiring Responsibility and Excellency) Awards recognises the organisations and businesses that demonstrate excellence in social, environmental, and economic sustainability in tourism. The Tourism InSPIRE Awards of the Pacific Asia Travel Association  is supported by the SWITCH-Asia Regional Policy Support Component (RPSC) managed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and supported by the European Union. 

The awards seek to identify and appreciate excellence in sustainable tourism operations by awarding tourism entities – accommodations, tour operators, destinations, and communities – that demonstrate outstanding practices and performance within the three pillars of sustainability (environment, social, economic). 

The exemplary contribution Siddhalepa Health Resort has made over the years to preserve the traditional culture and heritage was commended by awarding this international award. Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort is operated by Siddhalepa Group of which Chairman Deshabandu Dr. Victor Hettigoda is a fifth generation Ayurveda doctor who is recognised as one of the 100 best Ayurveda doctors of the century. He is regarded as the person behind reviving the traditional Ayurveda sector in Sri Lanka. 

The Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort manufactures its own medicines and supported by the know-how and expertise of professional doctors in the Ayurveda hospital. Siddhalepa Health Centers in Germany, Czech Republic and Slovakia are very popular among Europeans.

In order to enhance the country’s natural heritage and authentic culture, Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort has pioneered many activities. Educating the children and parents about the good cultural practices, inculcating the good values through awareness programmes have been well received by the public.

Providing support for conservation and management of areas vulnerable to climate change and mitigating impacts on the environment, enhancing resilience to environment pressures have been commended nationally and internationally. Awareness campaigns initiated at wildlife parks, rain forests and sanctuaries have won the hearts of environment lovers. 

The Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort has undertaken more than 250 herbariums in selected schools of every provinces of Sri Lanka. In addition to taking care of the garden, school children are educated on the value of conserving the environment through lecture programmes conducted by experts in the Ayurveda sector and environmentalists. Further extending this concept to the society, schools and religious places have been provided with farbage bins and display boards carrying the messages of the values of conserving the environment.

The CSR projects conducted at Adam’s Peak and other leading places encourage the public to correct their wrong attitudes towards culture and environment. The Group Chairman has addressed the future generation of the country in more than 1,000 schools to motivate them on entrepreneurship, discipline, culture and environment voluntary social motivation programme conducted under the guidance of chairman has supported about 10,000 to initiate SME industries.

Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort has won the Presidential Award for Best Ayurveda Hotel in 2008. Best Green Hotel and Energy Conservation Champion in 2012, Best Green Hotel Runner – up in 2013, Best Green Hotel Energy and Water Conservation Champion in 2014 from SWITCH Asia. Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort is the only Ayurveda hotel to win these national and international awards.