Sri Lanka’s premier hospitality brand Jetwing was once again recognised for its novel approach to environmental luxury design and sustainable hospitality at the LCC (Lufthansa City Center) General Assembly Awards held in Dubai, U.A.E. on 29 November.
Jetwing Vil Uyana, a flagship property of the brand and listed by National Geographic Traveler in their Best Ecolodges of the World issue in 2013, was adjudged winner of the Environmental Award, which honours the best idea for a sustainable usage of natural resources with the aim to strengthen the awareness for environmentally supporting activities.
The Awards were open to LCC’s whole network, to 650 offices in 87 countries, with Jetwing joining the network in mid-2014 and attending the awards for the very first time. The victory completes an amazing year for Jetwing Vil Uyana, which won the Environmental Award at the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards (organised by the World Travel & Tourism Council) along with its second PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Grand Award in 2014.
Set over an expanse of just over 24 acres, Jetwing Vil Uyana represents the rich potential in sustainable and eco-friendly destinations. Formerly an abandoned land used for sporadic agriculture, Jetwing transformed the property into a man-made wetland featuring two lakes and 30 individual dwellings over distinct habitats such as Water, Forest, Paddy, Marsh and Garden.
Over the years, the resort went on to be home to a variety of flora and fauna, such as the elusive loris, and also counts 20 species of mammals, 112 species of birds, 36 species of butterflies, and 35 species of amphibians and reptiles. Nature is highly respected, and provided ample space to flourish – with three acres being designated as a loris conservation site, the first in the country.
“The Jetwing family from the very beginning has been committed towards the environments in which we operate,” said Hiran Cooray, Chairman of Jetwing. “Jetwing Vil Uyana is certainly one of a kind, and it is a great honour indeed to be recognised at the first-ever LCC Awards after we joined the network. This award is not only a victory for Jetwing Vil Uyana, but also catapults the rich offering of Sri Lanka and its potential,” he continued.
The Lufthansa City Center (LCC) travel agency franchise is an affiliation of travel agency entrepreneurs, combining the flexibility and expertise of independent and IATA-licensed travel agencies with a complete service portfolio and world-wide recognition of its brand and its products.
With 650 LCC partners in 87 countries around the world, the network and brand has seen rapid growth since its introduction into the market in 1991. LCC ranks among the leading industry players internationally and its continuous success over the past 20 years of the company’s development is proof of the integrity of the Lufthansa City Center concept and stability. LCC members around the world turn over some EUR 5 billion per year.
Sri Lanka Travel Feneteko