Jetwing hotels is the story of Herbert Cooray, one of Sri Lanka’s pioneers in tourism

The completely overhauled Blue Oceanic Hotel Negombo, converted into a new “Jetwing Blue” and re-launched last week, turned out to be a singular tribute to one of the pioneers of travel industry in Sri Lanka and ‘God-father’ of the travel trade in Negombo – ‘Herbert Cooray’ . The tribute this time came not from the industry as such but from the ‘Cooray Family’.

Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Economic Development was also among the distinguished gathering and he unveiled the new Jetwing brand logo.

The revamping and the complete overhaul of the hotel with additional rooms at 112 came at an investment of US $ 8 million, by the golden sands and blue waters of the sea in Negombo. The occasion also saw the unveiling the new Jetwing brand or rather the logo to suit the modern day advertising, positioning and promotion.

To share the tribute to the ‘Cooray’ family were Ms Josephine Cooray; Hiran Cooray, Chairman, Jetwing Hotels; Ms Shiromal Cooray, Managing Director, Jetwing Travels and Ruwan Samarasinghe, Managing Director, Jetwing Hotels.

Speaking of Jetwing Blue transformation from a 6-room hotel in 1973 to today’s magnitude which is a story itfelt, is also the story of the late Herbert Cooray who was among those who pioneered tourism, particularly in Negombo.

Jetwing Hotels now has four hotels in Negombo – Jetwing Blue, Jetwing Beach; Jetwing Sea and Jetwing Ayurveda Pavilion. The other Jetwing Hotels spread all over the country are: Jetwing Lighthouse, Jetwing Vil Uyana; Jetwing Hunas Falls; Jetwing St Andrew’s; Era Beach and Tangalla Bay.
Mr Cooray said that it was not an easy task to bring Blue Oceanic to Jetwing Blue and the story of transformation of Blue Oceanic to Jetwing Blue is the result of the most difficult journey their father – Herbert Cooray trudged all along his life as a hotelier. In his tribute, he said, “Transformation of Blue Oceanic is comparable to the journey of Jetwing”.

He said that the launch of their new brand identity reinforces their core values, and embodies their passion to develop and strengthen Sri Lanka’s position as a premier tourist destination in the world. Ms Shiromal Cooray traced the life of their father and step by step enumerated the work he had done for the travel industry as a whole and the greatest contribution he has rendered to Negombo tourism and Jetwing group.

She recalled how first in 1971 he became the contractor to build the Blue Oceanic for a Swedish national and how Mr Cooray won the confidence of this Swede who agreed to sell the hotel to Mr Cooray. She said that there was no magic in the name ‘Jetwing’ and they consulted nobody to formulate the name. That was only an amalgamation of parts of two names of foreign collaborators, which these collaborators insisted.

Source: http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110703/BusinessTimes/bt17.html