‘Tea Garden’ offers value-added experience for tourists during Nuwara Eliya season

Sri Lanka Tourism has identified the Nuwara Eliya season to extend their current initiatives of city promotions through events tourism under the theme of ‘Celebrate Nuwara Eliya’ and to make a difference in providing a value added experience to the tourists. 

The Tea Garden organised by Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau in association with Sri Lanka Tea Board, Hotel Hill Club – Nuwara Eliya will be held parallel to Nuwara Eliya season, from 20 to 25 April at Gregory Lake phase 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Tea Garden aims to provide a unique authentic Sri Lankan Tea experience to the tourists both domestic and foreign inclusive of high tea, tea demonstrations, pop up tea museum, strawberry kiosk and entertainment. 

Situated at around 2,000 m above sea level and surrounded by lush tea plantations Nuwara Eliya is the main hill resort of Sri Lanka and the heart of the tea industry. Sri Lanka is one of the world’s largest exporters of tea surpassing $ 1.6 billion in foreign exchange in 2014 and reaching a total tea output of 328 million kilograms in 2015. Since the introduction of tea to Sri Lanka in mid-19th century, Nuwara Eliya has been the capital of the tea industry and Nuwara Eliya district produced 71.45 million kilograms of tea in 2015 becoming second to Ratnapura District producing 73.36 million kilograms of tea.

“We feel that the event can be further utilised to showcase the Sri Lankan tea products providing an opportunity for local suppliers.  Hence, Sri Lanka Tourism will highlight this aspect of Sri Lanka at the calming and picturesque Gregory lake side premises with the intention of revolutionising and adding more glamour and pride to Nuwara Eliya season and further promoting Nuwara Eliya as a significant tourism venue at national and international level,” stated Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Managing Director Ruvini Dias Bandaranayake.

The high tea experience will portray a thematic experience with delectable snacks offered by the Hotel Hill Club. Sri Lanka Tea Board has made arrangements to provide education on types of tea along with tea demonstrations, visuals and especially dedicated pop up tea museum with knowledgeable staff from the Tea Board to share information under one roof.

The leading strawberry supplier in the country, ‘Jagro’ will also provide farm fresh strawberries with tantalising combinations from their delicious ‘Simply Strawberries’ line of berry products at the venue further showcasing the internationally accredited line of quality strawberries produced in Nuwara Eliya. 

“Celebrate Nuwara Eliya is a campaign by Sri Lanka Tourism to promote the Nuwara Eliya summer festival having significant potential to promote Tourism and we thank the Kandy Hoteliers Association and Hotel Hill Club in partnering us in this event. Also, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau has endeavoured to communicate the message of responsible tourism through the campaign to  all tourists both domestic and foreign to help keep the environment clean as we feel that is an important part of sustaining tourism in to the city in the future,” stated SLTPB Chairman Paddy Withana. In this same token, SLTPB also supports the Annual April Blooms flower show to encourage the cultivation of beautiful flower gardens by many stakeholders such as hoteliers, local businesses and general public that complements the beautiful natural environment.