Cinnamon ‘Treasure Hunt 2015’ launched at IFTM

• A mega tour powered by SriLankan Airlines and Walkers Tours 

From left: SriLankan Airlines France General Manager Danny Schepers, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts Head of Brand Marketing Dileep Mudadeniya and Travel Magazine Belgium Editor in Chief Robrecht Willaert 

From left: Sri Lanka Convention Bureau General Manager Vipula Wanigasekera, SNAV France President Jean-Pierre MAS, SNAV France Secretary General Jean-Marc ROZE and Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts Head of Brand Marketing Dileep Mudadeniya 

Creating new avenues that are aimed at broadening the commercial scope for generating travel markets, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts launched ‘Treasure Hunt 2015’ at the annual International French Travel Mart (IFTM) which took place in Paris from 29 September-2 October this year. The shortlisted travel agents who are to embark on a unique journey to Sri Lanka on a week-long tour, as part of ‘The Treasure Hunt’, were also announced during the event.

‘The Treasure Hunt’, a mega familiarisation tour targeting an elite group of French travel agents, is presented by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts as a part of advancing Sri Lanka’s position in the growing landscape of global tourism and hospitality. Designed specifically to promote and re-introduce the country to a specific travel audience, the tour will assist in increasing the number of French travellers to Sri Lanka in the future.

With improving economic, political and social conditions, Sri Lanka is once again becoming the preferred destination for travel agents and long haul travellers from across the globe.  And although there have been several technological advancements in the travel and tourism industry today, the key role that the travel agents and tour operators play is still of vital importance.

‘The Treasure Hunt’ targets the travel agents in France and has been a tremendous success in the past. With close to 4,000 travel agent outlets across the country, the role that these agencies play in convincing, encouraging and or discouraging a potential client remain very critical. And so, we felt that it would be fitting to have a mega familiarisation tour such as this to create more awareness and give them a first-hand experience of the destination,” said Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts Head of Brand Marketing Dileep Mudadeniya. 

This mega familiarisation tour by Cinnamon would host a group of 60 travel agents in all expenses paid trip to Sri Lanka, where they will be given the opportunity to visit the main tourist destinations of the island while participating in a competitive Treasure Hunt. During the tour, participants will be assigned teams and will engage in finding treasures based on clues given to them by the organisers. This eventadds an element of excitement, as it is not the average familiarisation tour where agents are taken to view sites and given tours outlining the products and services offered by a destination. The Treasure Hunt presents an interesting perspective both creatively and interactively providing more value in promoting Sri Lanka as a premier tourist destination.

Scheduled to be held from 10 to 15 October, it will include a visit to the North Central province commencing with two nights at the Cinnamon Lodge Habarana where they would visit places of interest such as the Minneriya National Park, Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa. Next they would proceed to the East of Sri Lanka for an overnight stay at Chaaya Blu Trincomalee where they would visit the Trincomalee Fort and Batticaloa. From the East, the group would travel to the lush hill capital of Kandy with stays at Cinnamon Citadel. 

Here they would get to experience the sights and scents of Kandy at the well-known Kandy market and also visit the Dalada Maligawa and Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. The final leg of the Treasure Hunt would conclude in the Southern Coastal belt of Sri Lanka where they would be hosted to a Gala Dinner at Cinnamon Bey Beruwala, followed by an awards ceremony to recognise the winners of the competition.

This event will take place in tandem with the agents experiencing the country’s lesser-known sites and popular destinations. The tour will also make it possible for the participants to interact with local communities and gain insight into indigenous village life, local customs and traditions, Sri Lankan cuisine and renownedCeylonese hospitality.

‘The Treasure Hunt 2015’ is powered by the national carrier, SriLankan Airlines and Walkers Tours Limited, the official ground handling partner, and supported by the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB).