News & Events

12 September 2024; Colombo – SriLankan Airlines bagged a Gold Award in the category of “Marketing-Carrier” at the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Awards 2024, held in Bangkok on 28 August 2024, reaffirming the global appeal of its marketing communication endeavours. The campaign, “Colours of Jaffna,” is the first marketing campaign by any Sri Lankan entity to exclusively spotlight the island’s vibrant north. The timeliness of the campaign is further reinstated with CNN naming Jaffna as one of Asia’s most underrated places recently.

This year, PATA honoured 24 travel and tourism entities out of 100 entries from around the world, as judged by a panel of 23 industry experts.

One of the most successful campaigns ever to have been executed in the airline’s history, ‘Colours of Jaffna’ garnered a reach of over 14,000,000 across social media platforms with over 500,000 engagements.

SriLankan Airlines, Head of Marketing, Saminda Perera, said, “I take this opportunity to thank the encouragement and support extended to us by the management, our valued partners and my team, without whom this will never be a possibility. Time after time, we have endeavoured to present Sri Lanka in novel perspectives, and it gives us a great pleasure to be affirmed that our efforts are recognized by the industry fraternity and the travellers alike.”

Staying true to the campaign title ‘Colours of Jaffna,’ the visuals — both the imagery and videography — highlight the plethora of colours that define Jaffna. From its waterfronts, and historic fort to the colourful temple interiors, festivities and cuisine, the visual tonality emphasizes the contrasting yet striking colours, capturing the city’s novelty, excitement and vivacity. The video is enhanced by a rhythmic soundtrack, with tempos reflecting the natural ebb and flow of the city — the fine contrast between the calmness and the vibrant energy of its festivities.

Complementing the promotional drive, SriLankan Holidays, the airline’s leisure arm, introduced a series of holiday packages showcasing the best of Jaffna, with Jetwing Hotels as the exclusive hospitality partner. Notably, Jetwing Hotels was the other PATA award recipient from Sri Lanka, honoured in the prestigious “Climate Change Initiative” category.

DENVER, Sept. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- United today announced the opening of its largest United Club at Denver International Airport. This new, 35,000 sq.-ft. club is located in the B Concourse, providing a modern take on the United Club experience with a new feature bar offering beer flight boards to taste a seasonal rotation of premium local and craft beers. This club is the second in a series of new locations to open in Denver this summer; last month, a new 24,000 sq.-ft. United Club opened in the A Concourse, featuring a luxurious ski lodge aesthetic and thoughtful design touches inspired by the Colorado outdoors.

The air carrier will open an additional revamped club location in 2025, and once open, Denver International Airport will feature more than 100,000 sq.-ft. of United Club space – nearly the size of two football fields – across three United Club locations and United Club Fly, a unique grab-and-go concept offering enhanced food and beverage for United Club members with quick connections. With more than two-thirds of United customers connecting to other places in Denver, the new clubs are expected to accommodate more than double the number of travelers than before.

The opening of these new clubs comes on the heels of United unveiling a new club concept, United Club Fly^SM, in Denver last year, that is a first-of-its-kind concept for a U.S. airline. Since opening, United Club Fly has been visited by more than 100,000 travelers who've enjoyed the elevated convenience to grab food or beverages on the way to their flight.

"The new United Club locations are designed and operated to reflect feedback from our customers and match the way their travel has evolved in recent years," said Alexander Dorow, United's Head of Clubs & Lounges. "We're growing our hub in the Mile High City, and the expansion and renovation of United Club locations represents our commitment to Colorado and our customers' experience."

B Concourse United Club

Located on the eastern side in the B Concourse near gate B44, this new club location touts 35,000 sq.-ft. across three levels and more than 600 seats, making it the largest club in United's network. The space reflects Denver's beer scene with brewery-inspired elements and a new beer tasting experience at the feature bar on the mezzanine level. At the feature bar, travelers can choose from a seasonal rotation of 10 local and craft beers on tap, with selections from Colorado breweries New Belgium, Great Divide, Denver Beer Company, Upslope, among others, to enjoy from United customized tasting boards and beer glasses. The feature bar area is distinguished by five Vestaboards displaying personalized messages and menu offerings and a custom, vibrant blue mural by visual artist Charlo Garcia Walterbach that explores the joy and discovery of new places that travel brings to life.

Inspired by Denver's urban areas, the space features details such as concrete flooring, hand-crafted decor and exposed ceilings for a sleek and modern design. Throughout the space, guests can enjoy a variety of locally-sourced furnishings and artwork, including photography, paintings, sculptures and murals that reflect the Denver community. The entryway features a sculpture inspired by the cones of the Colorado Blue Spruce. Made by Will Schlough, the piece is crafted from dozens of skateboards meant to resemble colorful pinecones. An additional statement mural by local artists, Jaime Molina and Pedro Barrios, tells the story of Denver through highly-visual, street art inspired geometric shapes.

A Concourse United Club

Influenced by the Colorado Rocky Mountains, travelers visiting the new club location on the western side of the A Concourse near gate A26 can experience a sense of place among locally-sourced furniture and decor that reflects Colorado's outdoor landscapes and experiences. Designed to feel like a ski lodge, two fireplace lounges, stacked wood, flannel patterned cushions and vintage ski decor make travelers feel like they're nestled deep in the woods on a Colorado retreat.

This 24,000 sq.-ft club offers two premium bars and 400 seats across two levels of club space. There's room to grab food and drinks, play a few rounds of shuffleboard in the game lounge or relax near the fireplaces.

The space features hand-crafted, custom artwork from local artists, including a sculptural installation from Colorado-based artist Amy Hoagland that uses glass rods to form a topographic-inspired piece that creates an optical illusion from different vantage points. A custom 'Come Fly With Us' mural by Denver-based multidisciplinary designer Adam Vicarel is prominently displayed in the club's game lounge, and it showcases a combination of colors and shapes that exemplify travel and the Colorado landscape. Additional local artwork includes a glass sculpture, mixed media collages, photographs and paintings inspired by Colorado nature. 

Both club locations include enhanced amenities, such as free high-speed Wi-Fi, self-scan entry gates for seamless club access, agent on demand kiosks for any travel planning questions and wellness rooms. Each club also serves premium culinary offerings with local flair, including oatmeal paired with Colorado honey, egg frittata inspired by the Denver omelet (ham, bell peppers, red onion, spinach and cheddar cheese), Colorado Club sandwiches and pork green chili.

This expansion is part of the carrier's nearly $1 billion investment to further improve the customer experience in Denver. Earlier this year, United announced new non-stops to six destinations including four not served by any other Denver airline and local infrastructure improvements such as 12 new gates set to open in the A and B concourses by the middle of 2024 – giving United 90 total gates, the most at Denver International Airport.

For more information on United Club locations, visit united.com/unitedclub, and view media assets here.

About United 

At United, Good Leads The Way. With U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers, and is now the largest airline in the world as measured by available seat miles. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL". 

SOURCE: United Airlines

Brand’s research shows guests see more glaciers in Alaska with Holland America than any other cruise line

Seattle, Wash., July 18, 2023 — The riches of the wilderness take center stage on Holland America Line’s Alaska cruises as the region’s natural wonders and rugged beauty unfold. With the most visits to Alaska’s glaciers and more ways to see  wildlife and wilderness on a shore excursion than any other cruise line, Holland America Line is weaving more than 75 years of Alaska expertise into every facet of the experience.

As the 2025 season opens for booking, Holland America Line is building on the top reasons travelers choose an Alaska cruise — to see glaciers and wildlife — by offering the most Glacier Bay permits in the cruise industry, the most glacier viewing experiences and the most opportunities to see the animals of Alaska with nearly 180 shore excursions that take guests on a wildlife and wilderness encounter.
As 2025 Bookings Open, Holland America Line Leads Alaska Cruising With Most Glacier, Wildlife And Wilderness Viewing Opportunities
Brand’s research shows guests see more glaciers in Alaska with Holland America than any other cruise line

Seattle, Wash., July 18, 2023 — The riches of the wilderness take center stage on Holland America Line’s Alaska cruises as the region’s natural wonders and rugged beauty unfold. With the most visits to Alaska’s glaciers and more ways to see wildlife and wilderness on a shore excursion than any other cruise line, Holland America Line is weaving more than 75 years of Alaska expertise into every facet of the experience.

As the 2025 season opens for booking, Holland America Line is building on the top reasons travelers choose an Alaska cruise — to see glaciers and wildlife — by offering the most Glacier Bay permits in the cruise industry, the most glacier viewing experiences and the most opportunities to see the animals of Alaska with nearly 180 shore excursions that take guests on a wildlife and wilderness encounter.

“Guests choose an Alaska cruise because they want to see a glacier up close and whales in the wild, and we’re proud to be number-one in these areas by offering our guests more ways to experience glaciers, wildlife and wilderness than any other cruise line,” said Beth Bodensteiner, chief commercial officer, Holland America Line. “As we open bookings for our 2025 season, we’re offering an unmatched Alaska: Up Close experience and incentives to start planning now.”

From April through October 2025, guests can embark on Holland America Line’s cruises to Alaska aboard Eurodam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, Westerdam and Zaandam. Departures are roundtrip from Seattle, Washington; roundtrip from Vancouver, Canada; or in either direction between Vancouver and Whittier, Alaska.

More Glaciers for Viewing and Visiting

Every Alaska cruise includes a scenic visit to one or more of Alaska’s iconic glaciers where the ships sail up to the face of the ice formations and rotate for a 360-degree view. Holland America Line has more permits to visit Glacier Bay National Park than any cruise line, and the ships also visits several others along the journey: College Fjord, Dawes Glacier, Hubbard Glacier and Twin Sawyer Glaciers of Tracy Arm.

During Glacier Bay scenic cruising, Glacier Bay National Park Rangers visit Holland America Line ships for the day to engage with guests and talk about Alaska’s most famous national park.

In addition to scenic glacier viewing from the ship, guests can get up close to glaciers on a shore excursion, including the Excursions by Catamaran: Hubbard Glacier & Enchanting Disenchantment Bay in Hubbard Glacier and Tracy Arm Inlet and Glacier Explorer to Sawyer Glacier, both boarded directly from the ship; Helicopter Glacier Trek in Juneau where guest land on a glacier or the Five Glaciers Seaplane tour over section of the 1,500-square-mile Juneau Ice Field; and the Wilderness, Wildlife and Glacier Experience in Anchorage.

Whales, Bears, Eagles and More.

With the most shore excursions featuring a wildlife and wilderness encounter, Holland America Line offers nearly 180 tours to see species of all kinds, including: whale watching in Juneau; Sea Otter Quest and Alaska Raptor Center and Fortress of the Bear in Sitka; Wilderness Zodiac Quest in Ketchikan to go in search of bears, eagles and seals; Spasski River Wildlife and Bear Search in Icy Strait Point; Glacier Point Wilderness Safari showcasing whales, sealions and seals, and Haines Eagle Preserve Float and Wildlife Quest to the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, both from Skagway.

Wildlife Experts Lead Spotting

A wildlife expert on board helps guests witness the majestic animals found in Alaska. Guests can be on the lookout for humpback whales, orcas, bald eagles, moose, sea otters, caribou, black and grizzly bears, Dall’s porpoise and more. The daily program highlights designated times to meet the wildlife expert on deck to go in search of the animals in their natural environment.

Holland America Line’s Wildlife Spotting Guide points out the native animals found along the cruise route and includes a map with the best places to see each species. Between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., wildlife sightings are announced for guest viewing.

All cruises on Westerdam roundtrip from Seattle feature a presentation by The Alaska Raptor Center at Sitka. Hosted by the wildlife expert, one of the center’s Avian Care Specialists comes aboard with a raptor (eagle, hawk, owl, etc.) to share insights about Alaska’s majestic birds in World Stage.

‘Alaska Up Close’ Immerses Guests in the Local Culture

Holland America Line’s “Alaska Up Close” deeply immerses guests in the local culture with authentic onboard programming, cruise activities and award-winning shore excursions. The exclusive experiences are delivered through experts leading workshops and lectures from those who know Alaska best, EXC Talks exploring the stories of real Alaskans, tours highlighting the best of each destination and fine dining events showcasing the culinary traditions of the region.

On all Alaska cruises, a Huna Native Interpreter in historical dress comes on board during the evening stay at Juneau to introduce guests to the history of the Tlingit people with “Native Voices: Stories of the Tlingit People.” On the culinary side, guests will find cocktails featuring real glacier ice, an Alaska-themed brunch, Gold Rush dinner, seafood boils, salmon bakes and themed stations in Lido Market.

Serving Only the Freshest Sustainable Seafood

In 2022, Holland America Line was awarded Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) certification — making it the first cruise line to achieve this distinguished credential by serving only fresh, certified sustainable and traceable wild Alaska seafood. On any Alaska cruise, the line serves more than 2,000 pounds of Alaska salmon, 1,000 pounds of Alaska cod, 800 pounds of Alaska halibut, 500 pounds of Alaska rockfish and more. All menus highlight “Taste Alaska” by calling out region-specific dishes and fresh fish.

Highlights for 2025 Alaska Cruises:

• Following an exceptionally popular debut itinerary created for 2024, the 28-day “Alaska Arctic Circle Solstice” cruise aboard Westerdam returns in 2025. Departing June 8 in time for the Summer Solstice, the voyage sails roundtrip from Seattle to the Bering Sea and into the Arctic Circle. Alaskan ports include Anchorage (overnight), Dutch Harbor, Haines (Skagway), Homer, Juneau, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Nome, Seward, Sitka, Valdez and Wrangell, along with Prince Rupert, in Canada. Scenic cruising includes Glacier Bay, Inside Passage, Tracy Arm, College Fjord, Little Diomede Island, Prince William Sound and Hubbard Glacier.
• The 14-day “Great Alaskan Explorer” itinerary offers an in-depth adventure with eight Alaska ports. Departures are roundtrip from Vancouver.
  • Nieuw Amsterdam (May 4): Anchorage, Homer, Juneau, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Skagway, Valdez and Wrangell, with Endicott Arm/Dawes Glacier.
  • Noordam (Sept. 14), Anchorage, Homer, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Prince Rupert, Skagway, Sitka and Valdez, with Glacier Bay.
• Seven-day “Northbound Glacier Discovery” and “Southbound Glacier Discovery” itineraries cruise between Whittier (Anchorage) and Vancouver aboard Nieuw Amsterdam and Noordam. Ports include Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway.
• Seven-day “Alaska Inside Passage” cruises sail roundtrip from Vancouver on Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam and Zaandam. Ports include Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway.
• Seven-day “Alaskan Explorer” cruises sail roundtrip from Seattle aboard Eurodam and Westerdam, and include calls at Victoria, British Columbia (evening visit); and Ketchikan, Juneau and Sitka. Eurodam also includes Alaska’s Icy Strait Point and Glacier Bay; Westerdam explores Dawes Glacier.

Onboard services

Train Companies run many different types of trains across the rail network, offering a range of facilities.
All trains are totally non-smoking and offer Standard seating.

Some trains offer additional facilities such as:

• Catering
• WiFi
• Seat reservations (compulsory reservation may be required, such as LNER services in peak hours)

Things To See & Do