Cinnamon Hotels offer 1000 complimentary holiday packages for health workers

From left: Dileep Mudadeniya, Vice President John Keells Group, Dr. S. H. Munasinghe, Secretary, Ministry of Health, Kimarli Fernando, Chairperson Sri Lanka Tourism, Jit Guneratne, President Leisure, John Keells Group, Krishan Balendra, Chairman, John Keells Holdings PLC, His Excellency, the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Minister of Health, Major General (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne, Secretary Ministry of Defence, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Director-General of Health Services

As a way of saying ‘Thank You’ to Sri Lanka’s courageous healthcare workers, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts is offering 1,000 complimentary full board holiday packages, for two nights at nine of its properties in Sri Lanka. 

Packages will be distributed based on the nominations received from the Ministry of Health and will be valid for use from 1 July to 30 September 2020. Nominees will be able to select from nine hotels in Sri Lanka, which includes Cinnamon Grand Colombo, Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo, Cinnamon Red Colombo, Cinnamon Bey Beruwala, Cinnamon Wild Yala, Cinnamon Lodge Habarana, Cinnamon Citadel Kandy, Habarana Village by Cinnamon and Trinco Blu by Cinnamon. 

“Sri Lanka’s approach to the pandemic has brought our nation global admiration for implementing timely measures, as well as for being a caregiver to our own citizens and others. This can be considered the silver lining for our nation in one of the bleakest times in history,”a statement by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, said.

To mark the initiative, John Keells Holdings PLC Chairman Krishan Balendra presented the Cinnamon Travel Pledge to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat in the presence of the Health Minsiter Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Defence Secreatry Major General (Retd.) Kamal Gunaratne, Health Ministry Secretary Dr. S. H. Munasinghe, Defence Chief and Army Commander Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, Director-General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe, and Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Kimarli Fernando.

Commenting on the event Balendra said, “As a responsible corporate citizen John Keells Holdings has pledged to care for the nation’s people and communities through the practice of our core values: caring, trust and integrity. Offering complimentary holiday packages is a form of giving back and showing appreciation for all the hard work done to keep us safe.”

“Covid-19 has been a dark and bleak time in the history of Sri Lanka; the challenges of treating the infected and making sure our citizens and visitors are all safe has been unlike any we’ve ever encountered,” averred Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi. 

“With the guidance of our leadership and the support of the government, the Ministry of Health has been able to manage this pandemic in the best way possible, while taking Sri Lanka to the world as a committed caregiver. We appreciate this kind gesture rendered to us by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts and we are humbled by this commendable action to appreciate those who worked hard to keep Sri Lanka safe,” she added.

Positioned as a hotel chain at the forefront of Sri Lanka’s hospitality sector, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, comprising of 15 hotels and resorts across Sri Lanka and the Maldives, has evolved to become synonymous with inspired living, promising wholesome experiences that cater to the interests and requisites of the modern traveller.