Weddings on the beach, an aqua platform to be served dinner in the sea; four ocean pavilions, informal camaraderie, more so, come as you are atmosphere for informality and bonhomie unmatched in any resort.

What are we talking about? Just a cautious; yet unavoidable blend for a holiday; and an atmosphere of ‘let your self go’, experience unmatched in a resort hotel.

Where are these ‘happenings’? At the Sunsiyam Pasicuda.

Just so, assuming you’ve been to the Maldives, and factually, it’s a demand driven destination, to the US, so too, we assume, Sunsiyam Pasicuda, is a growing destination for holidays in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean surrounding the East coast of this island.

Why surrounding? Simple; just that Sunsiyam Pasicuda perched by the sea, apart from the warm waters bordering the resort; we are also of the positive atmosphere of the shallow sea abutting the picturesque appeal viewed from the sea. Appealing to tourists already enjoying the numerous attractions of this resort facility.

Our observations were French, Germans and other Europeans were already enjoying the facilities of Sunsiyam Pasicuda.

General Manager Arshed Refai was on hand to give us detailed explanation on facilities guests could expect and enjoy and numerous offerings that appeal for long stays. Quite regularly, he said, guests are quite reluctant to depart. Particularly Europeans who we observed enjoying the sun and more so walks along the beach.

Two flights each week bring tourists from Colombo who prefer the resort atmosphere of the East coast, more so attractions of Sunsiyam Pasecuda. Additionally, Ministry of Tourism provided train services as well to encourage tourist traffic to the East to enjoy the growing popularity of this resort and other resorts we observed in the area.

GM Refai further said the dining experience, and varied choice of cuisine catered to each national from West to East; which, he said, was quite in order to cater to choices in food and individual taste desires.

Formal opening of the hotel was in 2014 and was classified a Luxury Boutique Hotel. ‘Was it popular among local tourists’? He responded positively that its appeal was growing, related to the chain of other destinations in the East. Additionally, its popularity and appeal, particularly to its chalets and Five Star luxury was in reality not an available concept elsewhere.

Chef Dilan Jayasundera, explained varied cuisine and food flavours he was adept in producing to ensure guests were not in need, food vice.

He further said a broad cross section of tastes was catered to.

Asst General Manager Keerthi expanding on additional facilities said 34 rooms were villa style accommodation spread over the land. Four ocean pavilions complemented a formal atmosphere.

GM Refai further said 90 guests at peak accommodation enjoyed international cuisine.

Excursions, to the fish market, sea observations in glass bottom boats to observe fauna and flora under water, including the varied amphibian fish population were of great appeal.

Questioned on any Maldivian influence, he said, Sunsiyam was not influenced by the Maldives, but its style was of broad appeal.

By Steve A. Morrell

Emirates has announced that Colombo will be among the next eight destinations to be served by the airline’s B777s with upgraded cabins, as the airline’s retrofit programme continues to progress at an impressive pace, with an aircraft receiving a nose-to-tail facelift and rolling out into service every three weeks.

Colombo is set to receive the Boeing 777 with refreshed interiors from 10 August 2025 on its daily EK 650/651 flights. The operation will complement the airline’s newly introduced A350 operations to Sri Lanka’s commercial capital.

Emirates aims to serve 44 cities with its fleet of refurbished Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft by September 2025.

From 1 June 2025, all flights operating to/from Lisbon will offer upgraded Boeing 777 cabins while to Dublin, Emirates will debut its latest Business and Premium Economy cabins starting 25 June. Hong Kong, SAR will become the second Chinese destination to be served with the retrofitted Emirates Boeing 777 starting 15 July.

Customers travelling to the Maldives will enjoy an enhanced onboard experience with refreshed interiors on one service from 1 June and one two more services from 15 July. Emirates’ upgraded Boeing 777 will operate to Kolkata starting 10 August with four weekly flights, and the airline will be introducing Premium Economy and refreshed Business Class cabins for the first time to Johannesburg and Cape Town from 1 September and 20 September respectively.

Additionally, London Stansted will receive its second daily service with refreshed Boeing 777 interiors from 1 June.

Raising Inflight Experience Benchmarks

Emirates has expanded its Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 fleet refurbishment programme to cover more than 220 aircraft, representing the aviation industry’s most ambitious retrofit undertaking—a US$5 billion investment dedicated to delivering the best products and exceptional customer experiences across its global network.

The refurbished Emirates Boeing 777 features a four-class configuration, headlined by Emirates’ signature Premium Economy and thoughtfully designed Business Class cabins. Emirates’ Boeing 777 Business Class seats come in a 1-2-1 arrangement, offering privacy, aisle access and space to work, lounge and indulge in restorative rest.

Refreshed Boeing 777s include 24 of the popular Premium Economy seats, along with 260 Economy Class seats.

The Climate & Conservation Consortium (CCC) proudly announces its role in a historic sustainability milestone with the publication of the first-ever Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for a safety glove on the International EPD System (IES) global platform. This achievement not only underscores CCC’s expertise in conducting Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) but also reaffirms Sri Lanka’s growing role as a destination for sustainable business solutions.

This groundbreaking LCA, commissioned by Traffi Safe Ltd (Traffi)—a global pioneer in sustainable hand protection—was carried out by CCC using internationally recognised methodologies. The findings were submitted for review under IES, managed by EPD International, and independently verified by a registered assessor before publication on www.environdec.com.

Traffi Safe Ltd is a pioneering hand protection specialist and the industry leader in cut-resistant work gloves. As the inventors of the 3 Colour TraffiSystem, the company continues to drive innovation and sustainability in hand protection solutions. Traffi was the first in the industry to calculate carbon emissions for its LXT® (Life Extending Technology) Work Glove range and remains committed to transparency by ensuring all active glove models have independently verified carbon footprint values. The company is an affiliate of the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) and a proud member of the Registered Safety Supplier Scheme (RSSS).

The declared product, TG6240, is a next-generation glove featuring MicroDex ultra coating and Life Extending Technology, offering unparalleled dexterity, durability, and protection in wet, dry, and oily conditions. With CCC’s support, Traffi has gone beyond industry norms by calculating the carbon footprint of its entire active glove range, setting an unmatched sustainability benchmark. Additionally, Traffi has pioneered innovations such as the ZeroCarbon® certified Disposable Rubber Glove and Carbon-Inset® certified gloves.

Reflecting on this achievement, Adrian James, Managing Director of Traffi Safe Ltd, stated, “Our commitment towards truly understanding the impact our business creates on the planet (both positive and negative) is strongly ingrained in every facet of our decision making. We are committed toward transparency and authentic communication, and we also have a core value of seeking Evidentiary Proof in everything we do. All our active ranges of gloves have or will have a carbon footprint value attributed toward it. These calculations are carried out by our partner CCC and then submitted for independent verification by The Sustainable Future Group under the ISO 14067 standard. The decision to submit and publish the first ever Environmental Product Declaration for a safety glove arose out of our desire to serve as an example to the industry of what is possible if a company truly chooses a path of sustainability. Today there are no excuses for companies to feign ignorance of the true cost of their business, and we at Traffi hope we can inspire system-wide change in the industry.”