Jetwing Sea hotel gets the gold from PATA

“We are committed to Sri Lanka, to her continued growth, to her continued fame, and to keeping her beautiful for the generations to come.” – Hiran Cooray, Chairman of Jetwing

“We are committed to Sri Lanka, to her continued growth, to her continued fame, and to keeping her beautiful for the generations to come.” – Hiran Cooray, Chairman of Jetwing

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) honored Jetwing Sea today with a PATA Gold Award in the category of Environment – Corporate Environmental Program, as a part of the PATA Gold Awards 2012. This year’s awards attracted 180 entries from 79 organizations and individuals worldwide, and the victory stands testament to the consistent commitment shown by Jetwing towards the environment.

Titled “Jetwing Sea – A Greener Vision,” the entry impressed the judging panel with its high quality, and the measures and initiatives which are utilized at the property. This occasion marks the third Gold Award won by Jetwing; the first being for “A Taxi Service for the Community” by Jetwing Lighthouse under the category of Education & Training in 2005, and the second for “Together We Can Make It – The Jetwing Eternal Earth Project,” based at Hunas Falls (formerly under Jetwing) under Environment – Corporate Environmental Program in 2009. In addition, Jetwing Vil Uyana won the PATA Grand Award in 2007 for Education & Training for the novel Jetwing Youth Development Project – “We Dreamed a Dream.”

Jetwing Sea, formerly known as the Seashells Hotel, holds a unique place in the history of the company. Dating back to 1972, the property was constructed by Founding Chairman Herbert Cooray for G.E.B. Milheusen, a pioneer in the tourism industry. Herbert built the hotel in record time, in just 6 months, and purchased it 6 years later, making significant improvements to it as well, such as a new 35-room wing, as well as a swimming pool. In mid-2010, Jetwing Hotels undertook and completed a major re-creation of the original hotel, launching the sleek, elegant and contemporary Jetwing Sea in January 2011. The re-creation was the product of internationally-renowned architect and Bawa student, Murad Ismail, and was at every stage dedicated to utilizing and maintaining energy efficiency and environment-friendly operations.

“Winning the Gold Award for Jetwing Sea’s environment initiatives is a sign that we are on the right path,” said a smiling Jude Kasturi Arachchi, the Head of Engineering for Jetwing Hotels. “We looked into simple, often overlooked means of efficiency, such as maximizing natural light and ventilation, 100 percent energy-efficient lighting through LED, CFL, and Fluorescent T5 bulbs, solar power for room illumination, hot water generation during daytime, and a biomass boiler for nighttime.

Other measures include an energy-efficient central chiller for air conditioning, LED backlit guest room TVs, and an in-house sewage treatment plant to recycle and reuse waste water,” he continued.

“Jetwing is being recognized for our commitment to our environment, and it is indeed a great feeling. In January, our practices were described in “Paradise Exorcised” by renowned author, Juliet Coombe, and now we have won a PATA Gold Award for them. It certainly is an honor, and we will continue to support sustainable practices and operations,” said Hiran Cooray, Chairman of Jetwing.

Family owned and in the tourism industry for the past 39 years, Jetwing Hotels has surpassed expectation at every aspect. Building on their foundation of being passionate, as well as the experience of true, traditional Sri Lankan hospitality, constantly pioneering discoveries captures the essence of the brand. Such a strong statement and direction have enabled Jetwing Hotels to imagine, create, and manage marvels and masterpieces, where distinctive design and elegant comfort complement each other and the environment. “Paradise Exorcised” by Juliet Coombe is available in leading bookshops such as Vijitha Yapa, Odel, and Barefoot or via email: [email protected] .

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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