SriLankan arrives in Hambantota

SriLankan Airlines established its presence in the most bustling district of the Southern Province, Hambantota, with the opening of a new sales office on Friday, 21 September.

The branch office will facilitate travel formalities to a large clientele in the south-eastern coast area. The modern facility is equipped to handle reservations, ticketing, Prepaid Ticket Advices (PTAs), requests for special services, information on fares, schedules and packages – essentially offering the same sales activity carried out by any city office of the airline.

SriLankan has appointed Classic Travel Ltd, a fully-owned subsidiary of the Expolanka Holdings conglomerate, as its Passenger Sales Agency (PSA) to spearhead the operation.

A sister company of Classic Travel, Expolanka Freight, has been the PSA for SriLankan Cargo in Hambantota for the past two years.                

“Hambantota is one of five proposed metro-cities and will be a major hub for economic activity in the future. Also, with the city gearing up to operate the country’s second international airport, the timing of this launch could not be more perfect. We are confident that this initiative will bring more opportunities to SriLankan, fuel the company’s growth, and offer the people of Hambantota better travel opportunities,” said SriLankan’s Head of Worldwide Sales Lal Perera.

The airline is in the process of rolling out an extensive expansion strategy in the local market, with a focus on making the SriLankan brand and product readily available to communities across the island. 

“Bringing our services closer to our customers by providing direct and easy access under one roof, is our main aim,” Senior Manager Sri Lanka and Maldives Saminda Perera added.

The ceremony was heralded by the blessings of Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Islamic clergy and officially opened by  G.T. Jeyaseelan, Chief Marketing Officer of SriLankan Airlines, Lal Perera, Head of Worldwide Sales of SriLankan Airlines, Director of Classic Travel Saif Yusoof and Director and CEO of Classic Travel Suresh Mendis. Also in attendance were Saminda Perera, Senior Manager Sri Lanka and Maldives of SriLankan Airlines and the SriLankan sales team and a management team from Classic Travel.

On Classic Travel being appointed as the PSA, Mendis stated at the function: “It is a very significant day for Classic Travel as we open the PSA office of SriLankan Airlines in Hambantota. Our bonding with the National Carrier will be further strengthened today with growth of our partnership extended to this beautiful town, which would be the heartbeat of the country in the near future.” 

Since the dawn of peace three years ago, the country has been a beehive of economic activity propelled by the Government’s initiatives to drive tourism and spread development into the furthest areas by promoting local industry and entrepreneurship. The implemented regional development plans delve into the transformation of each province.

The Central Bank records a rural growth percentage that exceeds the urban growth rate from 2006 to 2010. The growth rate of the average monthly household income of most provinces was also on par with or topped the Western Province during this period.

In anticipation of the fast-growing travel markets beyond metropolitan areas, as a result of increased disposable income among outstation households, SriLankan will continue to build its national reach and network to meet the budding needs of the suburban traveller. In May, SriLankan expanded its operations in the north with the addition of its Jaffna sales office.

The Hambantota PSA Office will be manned by proficient staff and is located at No. 30, Wilmot Street. It will be open from 0815-1700hrs on weekdays and from 0815-1230hrs on Saturdays (except mercantile and Poya holidays). For information, telephone 0472220527/28.