No MoU signed yet, but Louis to cruise Colombo

Although the world’s fifth largest cruise operator, Louis Cruises Ltd. (LCL) announced plans to operate weekly cruises to Colombo at a function held two days ago, a scheduled Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the operator and the tourism authorities was not signed. According to tourism officials, the MoU was put on hold, citing certain taxation issues stated in the agreement that needed to be worked out.
“We were not able to sign the MoU today because certain clauses regarding tax issues arising from the port of entry still need to be agreed on,” Managing Director of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), Dileep Mudadeniya told The Bottom Line on the sidelines of a press conference held to announce the launch.
The MoU was to address the possibility of using Colombo as a future home port, the necessity for and advantage of keeping the ship longer in the Colombo port, and also of making the ship available during the World Cup Cricket tournament in February 2011.
The cruise ship operated by Louis Cruise Lines of Cyprus started operations this week with the maiden voyage of the vessel ‘Aquamarine’ arriving at the Colombo Port at 14:00 hours Monday. On its maiden voyage, the cruise brought along around 200 travel agents along with other passengers.
“If we work at full capacity, the cruise can bring in around 30,000 tourists to Sri Lanka within a short span of five months,” Louis Loizou, Louis Group Executive Director and Deputy CEO of Louis Cruises told journalists at the conference.
He says that customers will be charged at a competitive price of US$ 100 per person per night for travel to Maldives, which will include shipboard accommodation, ocean transportation, all meals, some beverages and onboard entertainment.
“The vessel MV ‘Aquamarine’ is a luxury cruise ship, which has 405 cabins and can carry 1,200 passengers. The vessel will ply between Cochin, Male and Colombo with weekly calls at the Colombo Port. It will arrive in Colombo every Monday at 14:00hrs and depart every Tuesday at 15:00hrs,” Loizou said.
Among the facilities built in the vessel are one dining room, buffet, entertainment lounge, bars and disco, Pub, children’s club, casino, beauty salon, fitness centre, basketball and volley court, sauna/massage, swimming pool, internet corner, fully air-conditioned, telephone fax, satellite, telephone, doctor on board, duty free and travel value shop.
Stateroom amenities are equipped with shower, wash basin, air condition with individual thermostat control, safety boxes, telephone with direct dial, radio and TV.
Commenting on the occasion, Minister of Tourism, Achala Jagoda said that the weekly calls of Louis Cruises will promote Colombo as a tourist destination while also helping to connect industries together to reap mutual benefits.
“It is perfectly aligned with my plans to integrate the Sri Lankan Tourism Industry with the Asian region as we are also looking at the possibility of positioning this vessel in Hambanthota during the 2011 World Cup Cricket,” Jagoda said.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Tourism is currently having discussions with the industry as well as with the authorities concerned, with a view to using the sea around the island as well as inland waterways for recreational activities, including introduction of houseboats – another novel concept to Sri Lanka.
Founded in 1935, the Louis Group is a diversified group of companies functioning internationally, whose core competency stems from its 74-year history in the tourism industry. Louis Cruises is the fifth largest cruise operator in the world, while Louis Hotels is the largest hotel chain in Cyprus and Greece combined.
- AR