With new in-country tours, DMC Khiri Travel has put people ahead of place to showcase the unique complexities and variety of Sri Lanka as a travel destination.
Khiri Travel Sri Lanka has put together a variety of destination experiences based on the principle that meeting insightful, knowledgeable people not only enhances the destination experience, it defines it.
Created by Khiri Travel Sri Lanka, general manager, Gonzalo Gil Lavedra, six new experiences introduce guests to local personalities who explain key facets of Sri Lanka society — archaeology, food, history, the differences between Tamil and Sinhalese culture, and more.
Khiri Travel has created the new meetings based around local people with a passion for unique aspects of life in Sri Lanka. They include an archaeologist, a Colombo street food expert, a Tamil native of Jaffna who has lived through civil war, a keeper of a garrison cemetery (with many tales to tell), an art scene expert in Colombo, and a leading Sri Lankan-Japanese chef who prepares a private dinner for Khiri clients.
For example, archaeologist Nerina takes guests to two sites in the Cultural Triangle that few tourists visit: Kaludiya Pokuna and Ritigala, which is an ancient meditation site surrounded by forest and used as a mediation retreat by monks for over 2,000 years. Even today, the calm is uninterrupted with virtually no tourists. Gil Lavedra says visiting the area is evocative of an “Indiana Jones experience”.
In the capital, Khiri guests can meet Rashan, a life-long Colombo resident from a modest background. Rashan will lead a guided walk through the back streets of the city to reveal vibrant areas such as Pettah market, Slave Island and possibly a pooja ceremony at a Hindu temple. For many, a highlight is sampling kottu roti, a local favourite street dish.
“To fully appreciate the subtleties of a destination Khiri Travel Sri Lanka believes in getting to close to people,” says Gil Lavedra. “Each of our special hosts has the spirit of Sri Lanka within them. Khiri guests tell us it’s their privilege to walk and talk with such insightful guides.”
Gil Lavedra says the meetings and trips with the special insight hosts last for a few hours to half day or a day. The engagements can be added in to any Khiri Travel itinerary depending on the interests of the client.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
