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story of Jetwing is one of classic entrepreneurship. It began
with Herbert Cooray who followed his father's footsteps and
entered the construction trade. In the 1970s, Sri Lanka implemented
a tourism master plan which marked its entry into the international
tourism arena. Young Herbert thus got an opportunity to be
associated with Sri Lanka’s organised tourism sector
from the inception when he won a tender as a building contractor
to construct a Hotel in the sleepy coastal fishing village
of Negombo for Mr. J.E.B. Milhuisen. The Hotel was built specifically
to suit the Charter tourists from Europe. This Hotel was almost
exclusively used by a leading Swedish Tour Operator called
Vingressor. Herbert soon became friends with them.
One evening, as the sun set over the western seaboard of Negombo,
young Herbert was sipping a Whiskey soda with one of these
Swedish Representatives. The Swede in a reflective mood, rubbed
off the condensation forming on his glass of chilled beer
and leaned towards Herbert. "Why don't you start your
own hotel?" he said. 'We would be comfortable doing business
with someone we trust".
As
the sun set, a new dawn for Sri Lankan tourism was on the
wing. The seed which was later to be known as Jetwing Hotels
was planted that evening. Barely two decades later, it would
emerge as a leader and pace maker for Sri Lankan hotels, dominating
the luxury & wellness and nature tourism segments. Properties
such as Lighthouse Hotel & Spa, The Blue Water, Yala Safari
Game Lodge and Ayurveda Pavillions have become benchmarks.
Herbert Cooray, founder Chairman of Jetwing, started with
six rooms at the Blue Oceanic Beach Hotel. As a building contractor,
he built the Seashells Hotel in 1972, which he subsequently
bought in 1978. Thereafter, the third hotel to join the group
was the Royal Oceanic Beach Hotel that opened in 1981 with
44 rooms and afterwards in 1987 a second wing was added to
bring the total to 91 rooms in operation (This was subsiquently upgraded and repositioned as a 78 roomed boutique hotel called The Beach, Negombo in 2004). In 1983, he bought the
Yala Safari Game Lodge (previously Yala Safari Beach Hotel),
a hotel he had built for the sellers. The fifth hotel was
St. Andrew’s, Nuwara Eliya in 1987.
Jetwing
Hotels joined hands with the Hayleys Group in 1991 when they
came in as partners with a 25% stake in the company. Jetwing
grew from strength to strength, and the Hayleys- Jetwing partnership
acquired the Hunas Falls Hotel. In addition, they built the
Lighthouse Hotel & Spa, which some called an over ambitious
project. However, today, it has proved to be one of the best
hotels in the region. Lighthouse has won the accreditation
of being a member of the ‘Small Luxury Hotels of the
World’.
Tropical
Villas was built in 1993 and soon after Jetwing entered into
an agreement with Union Apparels to manage The Blue Water
Hotel. Under Jetwing management, it achieved five star status
in 2003.
Jetwing
is working on many developments. Opening in September 2006 will be Vil Uyana with 25 Villas built in an artificially created wetland. Plans are also in the pipe line to construct a luxury tented camp on the Nilaveli beachfront called Mannal Kadu, further Yala Safari Game Lodge will also be reconstructed. Jetwing Hotels
have journeyed from beaches to creating nature reserves in
the span of a few decades. Since that fateful evening in Negombo,
Jetwing have remained attentive and receptive to clients and
business opportunities alike.
Building
the Blue Oceanic Hotel in Negombo in 1972, Herbert commenced
his foray into the leisure sector with only 12 employees.
Jetwing now stands strong with approximately 2000 staff. Apart
from their main specialisation in Hotels and Travels, Jetwing
have diversified the brand into event management, outbound
package tours and Ticketing, Airline Representation, Professional
Conference Organisers, Freight forwarding, Birding and Wildlife
Travel, to name a few.
His
entry in to the inbound tour operation also started in similar
fashion, when a German Tour Partner having seen the Blue Oceanic
Hotel and falling in love with Negombo offered Herbert the
Agency and the guarantee that he will assist in the setting
up and operation of the Travel Agency. Thus began Jet Travels
at a location in Negombo with 4 associates. Taking the Corporate
image and having changed the name to Jewting Travels it now
ranks as one of the leading inbound tour operators in the
country working with reputed partners from all over the world.
Jewting
Travels also has an Outbound Division which has IATA accreditation
and does ticketing as well as organising packaged holidays
to the discerning Sri Lankan traveller.
Herbert Cooray remains involved but has delegated the maintenance
of the family philosophy and traditions to his daughter Shiromal
Cooray, who now is the Managing Director of Jetwing Travels,
and his son Hiran Cooray, who is the Managing Director of
Jetwing Hotels.
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