COLOMBO, 29 January 2005 — SriLankan Airlines has launched a sizable internal relief operation to help victims of the tsunami disaster. Country managers worldwide are coordinating the mobilization of relief aid from their territories, while all airline staff — more than 4,000 in total — have already donated wages to the cause. According to Peter Hill, chief executive officer of the airline, the airline’s airport staff have been working round-the-clock to clear several tons of aid that has arrived in Colombo, but large backlogs of cargo await shipment at airports in Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok and London.

List of 500 Properties Features Jumeirah Beach

DUBAI, 29 January 2005 — Featured in the January issue of Travel + Leisure magazine, the 2005 Travel + Leisure 500 list names the Jumeirah Beach Hotel as one of the greatest hotels in the world. The Travel + Leisure 500 identifies the 500 highest-rated properties in the world and includes insider information about each hotel. “We’re honored to be recognized by such a prestigious publication,” said Robert Kunkler, general manager of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel.

Dubai Shopping Festival Records More Visitors

DUBAI — The ongoing Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) has attracted larger numbers of visitors from around the world, especially Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Cyprus, Iran and India. The DSF 2005 is bigger and better than ever before and has grown phenomenally since its inception in 1996. The event hosts the world’s biggest gold raffle, the world’s richest luxury car raffle and many other opportunities for its thousands of visitors to win fantastic prizes. A festive atmosphere dons the city, its streets and malls, with plenty of entertainment and activities for the entire family. The Global Village, the biggest draw during DSF, will remain open for two and half months till March 31.

New Le Meridien Tower Claims High Occupancy

KUWAIT, 29 January 2005 — Le Meridien Tower, the group’s first Art+Tech property in Kuwait, has already hit occupancy levels of more than 80 per cent in its “soft opening” period, and immediately after its official opening on Nov. 30. Hannes Yaghi, general manager of Le Meridien hotels and resorts in Kuwait, said: “Our occupancy rates have registered 80 percent with a revpar (revenue per average room) of 65 Kuwaiti dinars during the soft opening period.” The opening of Le Meridien Tower is part of a period of rapid, yet strategic, growth for the upscale hotel group in Kuwait. Future projects include Le Meridien Residence in Salmiya, to be launched next month, followed by Le Meridien Bellevue in mid-2005 and then Le Meridien Mubarakia in the first quarter of 2006.

Seafood Festival at Le Gulf Meridien

ALKHOBAR, 29 January 2005 — Le Gulf Meridien Hotel Alkhobar is organizing an exclusive seafood festival from Feb. 6-10. It will be held at the newly renovated restaurant CafE de Paris located in the lobby level.

Gulf Air, Sabre Sign Agreement

BAHRAIN — Gulf Air and Sabre have signed an agreement to create a joint venture to be based in Bahrain. The establishment of the new company, Sabre Travel Network Middle East, brings together the world’s leading global distribution system (GDS) and the vast local expertise of Gulf Air to further extend world-class products and services into the Middle East region.