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• Nov 25, 2020

Walkers Tours Awarded Sri Lanka’s Leading Destination Management Company At World Travel Awards

Updated: Nov 26, 2020

The award was also won by Walkers Tours previously in 2016.

November 25th, 2020 - In response to this most recent win, CEO of Walkers Tours Limited , Nalaka Amaratunga said, “Even though this is not the first time that we are winning this award, winning it this year, we consider it to be a great achievement. For me personally, holding on to all our staff has been the greatest achievement.” “I want to thank each and every one of you, especially our agents and our principals for all the support that they have extended throughout the years without which all this wouldn’t have been a possibility,” he added.

With tourism activities coming to a temporary halt due to the prevailing pandemic outbreak, Walkers Tours is gearing its way forward to embracing the new normal by further strengthening its health and safety and responsible tourism practices which has proven to be one of its biggest strengths next to its staff. The last 2 years have been the most testing times in the last decade for Sri Lanka Tourism and Amaratunga considers this award to be a testament to its resilience.

World Travel Awards was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality industries. Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognized globally as the ultimate hallmark of industry excellence.

Walkers Tours is a Sri Lankan owned and operated company that has been arranging tours in Sri Lanka for over 50 years.

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Karl Sigurdsson - Senior Contributor

Karl is a senior contributor at TravelIndustryReporter.com and knows the European travel industry inside out. Karl is a freelance travel writer specialising in the European market. Karl studied at both Stockholm University and Reading University.

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Walkers Tours carbon neutral for seven consecutive years

Wednesday, 24 June 2020 00:00 -     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

From left: Walkers Tours Manager Keerthi Ekanayake, JKH AVP Kishan Thomas, JKH AVP Vindya Cooray, CCC CEO Sanith de Silva, JKH VP/Walkers Tours CEO Nalaka Amaratunga, SFG Head of Sustainability Assurance and Advisory Services Lakmini Senadheera, SFG AM Sustainability Assurance and Advisory Services Sajeewa Ranasinghe, CCC AM Client Relationship Management Ruwanthi Halwala, Walkers Tours AM Yudesh Gunaratne, JKH VP Prabath Harshakumar, (Absent: JKH VP Nalika Abeysuriya) 

Sri Lanka’s premier destination management company and a subsidiary of the country’s largest blue chip conglomerate, John Keells Holdings (JKH), Walkers Tours Ltd. celebrated yet another year of Carbon Neutrality.  History was made in 2012 when Walkers Tours’ core business element – their vehicle fleet – became the first in Asia to go CarbonNeutral, and to date, remains the only company in their sector in Sri Lanka to hold this status. This significant effort in environmental consciousness and the reduction of their operational impact on global emissions was recently recognised by the developer of The CarbonNeutral Protocol, Natural Capital Partners of the UK, who presented their long-standing global climate champions with special commemorative plaques.  The assessment was conducted by The Carbon Consulting Company (CCC), who has assisted and directed Walkers Tours from the beginning of their sustainability journey in managing and mitigating the operational emissions of their vehicle fleet. Walkers Tours’ certification was awarded by the Sustainable Future Group (SFG), Sri Lanka’s only accredited sustainability verification and certification body that is authorised to verify and validate Organisational and Project-level Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventories according to the official GHG Reporting ISO Standards, ISO 14064 Parts 1 and 2.  SFG is also the regional partner for Natural Capital Partners, who was recently recognised as the best carbon offset retailer in the world for a record ninth consecutive year. The certification process included an extensive analysis of the GHG emissions of the vehicle fleet, followed by the company supporting a Renewable Energy Project in return for internationally registered Carbon Credits to offset the fleet’s Carbon Footprint. Walkers Tours CEO Nalaka Amaratunga stated, “Being carbon conscious in conducting its business operation has always being a core principle of Walkers Tours and since 2012 we have looked at ways of strengthening this further. In addition to expanding our fleet of hybrid vehicles and training our chauffeurs on industry best practices on sustainable driving, we are continuously looking at ways to ensure this concept is passed through our entire value chain and hence have now we have looked at ways of sharing knowledge and influencing our partners too to adopt these good practices. This would assist us in the future to provide a wholesome product in a carbon conscious manner and be proud of our responsible contribution to the environment at large.”  Having worked with over a hundred local and international corporates to develop solutions for sustainability issues that companies currently face, CCC is well aware of the challenging nature that sustainability certification poses for clients. Speaking on the occasion, CCC CEO Sanith de S. Wijeyeratne commented, “It gives us great pleasure to stand alongside Walkers Tours as they are recognised for this monumental environmental achievement. Not content on being the first in Asia to achieve this status they have remained the only internationally certified fleet of vehicles for period of seven years – thus earning them further global accolades. This recognition from Natural Capital Partners further cements their sustainability credentials, and we are proud to be their partner in this endeavour.” Walkers Tours has regularly monitored and managed its fleet’s operational carbon footprint for the past seven years, demonstrating that becoming a sustainable business is at the epicentre of its values, long-term goals and business strategy. As a company that dedicates itself to contributing towards economic, ecological and social development in their region, they have focused on new product development in less-developed parts of the country. Equipped with ISO 9001 & 14001 certifications, Walkers Tours has also been recognised as one of the best performing ‘TourCert Check’ Companies and is a member of the ‘Responsible Tourism Partnership Sri Lanka’ initiative.

Walkers Tours is a Sri Lankan owned and operated company that has been helping visitors to discover and enjoy Sri Lanka for over 45 years. Our expertise is unparalleled and our knowledge of Sri Lanka unequalled. We take care of all details for your visit, whether you are a solo traveller, a couple on holiday or honeymoon, a group of friends or convention delegates, or visitors seeking activity or wellness holidays

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Walkers Tours receives Travelife Partner award for sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility efforts

Walkers Tours, a leading tour operator in Sri Lanka, has been awarded the Travelife Partner award for its long-term efforts and front-runner position regarding sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility.

The Travelife standard covers the ISO 26000 Corporate Social Responsibility themes, including environment, biodiversity, rights and labor relations, and is formally recognized in full compliance with the UN supported Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria. Walkers Tours complies with more than 100 criteria related to its office management, product range, international business partners, and customer information.

“We are thrilled to receive the Travelife Partner award,” said Mr. Nalaka, CEO of Walkers Tours. “This award recognizes our commitment to sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, which are at the core of our business philosophy.” Walkers Tours is among 12 companies in Sri Lanka to have reached the Travelife Partner award

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Home » Rethinking tourism in Sri Lanka

Rethinking tourism in Sri Lanka

‘Rethinking Tourism in Sri Lanka,’ a symposium in celebration of International Tourism Day was held on 27 September 2022 at Shangri-La Hambantota. 

The event featured eminent guests Lion Brewery CEO Dr. Rajiv Meewakkala, Walkers Tours CEO Nalaka Amaratunga, Adventure Experience Consultant Krishani Samaraweera, Sun Match Company Director Gowri Rajan, and keynote speaker Capital Maharaja Group Group Director Chevaan Daniel. The panel was moderated by UNDP Consultant on Travel Experience Development in Sri Lanka Dr. Rohantha Athukorala. 

The speakers covered pressing concerns with regard to Sri Lanka and its tourism industry as it stands today, speaking on the topics of ‘Food and Leisure as a USP for Tourism,’ ‘The Importance of Agility in Experience Development,’ ‘Exploring an Angle Through Adventure,’ ‘Connecting Communities to Develop Tourism,’ and more. 

The overarching conversation however linked to the main concept of ‘rethinking tourism’ and Shangri-La General Manager Refhan Razeen placed great emphasis on this: “Sri Lanka has suffered many setbacks and now it is time to rally and breathe life, so let’s rethink tourism, rebuild, and revamp locally and globally.” He also added: “I think it is high time we rethink our concept and provide for this need to create a demand for tourism in Sri Lanka.” 

Keynote speaker Capital Maharaja Group Group Director Chevaan Daniel shared that while we were indeed experiencing some setbacks, we, as a nation, were ready to pick ourselves back up: “By virtue of forums such as this, regardless of the hardships, proves a clear message – yes, Sri Lanka is facing a challenging time, but we are ready to work our way out of it,” he said. 

Daniel also noted that a changing of frame was also in order: “When we are rethinking tourism, we should be proud to call it a ‘weva’ – the only man-made construction that still serves us to this day. Not a tank or a reservoir, but a ‘weva’. They still serve us to this day, they feed us, and sustain our nation. If that isn’t sustainable development I don’t know what is. Sri Lanka was founded on the foundation of sustainability,” he said. 

He also noted that in this changing of frame and mindset, we should also promote pride in our nation: “A ‘weva’ is not dug up and created erratically, it is part of a larger system. Then there is Sri Lanka as a wealth of attractions; we as a country have the highest density of world heritage sites in the world, even more than Greece. Should we not be proud of that?” he said. 

Walkers Tours CEO Nalaka Amaratunga also highlighted the importance of establishing a blueprint for Sri Lankan tourism which would be the cornerstone upon which we build our industry: “We need to have a plan, a blueprint, so that even if the Government changes we will still have a plan to follow, regardless of who is in charge,” he said, adding: “What we have to do is rethink our strategies.” 

The panellists also made note of the importance of diversified marketing, with Krishani Samaraweera noting that tourism highlighted the lesser explored areas with potential: “Everyone has a tourism requirement and I think this can be found online. Instagram is the future. This is one area Sri Lankan tourism has to focus on,” she said.  

She also spoke of indigenous medicine, noting that there was a concept called ‘holiday dialysis’. She noted that there were only 400 such treatment centres around the world and that countries including the Maldives were already considering adopting a centre, with Bali already having five-star resorts with dialysis centres. She said that this was something that Sri Lanka could pursue as well. 

The panellists all collectively noted that there was a need for Sri Lanka tourism to undergo a facelift if we were to move forward. 

The event also marked Shangri-La Hambatota’s pledge to enter the Guinness Book of World Records in building a sand sculpture which will require the labour of nearly 450 people.

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Walkers Tours Carbon Neutral for Seven Consecutive Years

June, 22, 2020 -->

Sri Lanka’s premier Destination Management Company and a subsidiary of the country’s largest blue-chip conglomerate, John Keells Holdings (JKH), Walkers Tours Limited celebrated yet another year of Carbon Neutrality. History was made in 2012 when Walkers Tours’ core business element - their vehicle fleet - became the first in Asia to go CarbonNeutral®, and to date, remains the only company in their sector in Sri Lanka to hold this status. This significant effort in environmental consciousness and the reduction of their operational impact on global emissions was recently recognised by the developer of The CarbonNeutral Protocol, Natural Capital Partners of the UK, who presented their long-standing global climate champions with special commemorative plaques.

The assessment was conducted by The Carbon Consulting Company (CCC), who has assisted and directed Walkers Tours from the beginning of their sustainability journey in managing and mitigating the operational emissions of their vehicle fleet. Walkers Tours’ certification was awarded by the Sustainable Future Group (SFG), Sri Lanka’s only accredited sustainability verification and certification body that is authorised to verify and validate Organisational and Project-level Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventories according to the official GHG Reporting ISO Standards, ISO 14064 Parts 1 and 2. SFG is also the regional partner for Natural Capital Partners, who was recently recognised as the best carbon offset retailer in the world for a record ninth consecutive year. The certification process included an extensive analysis of the GHG emissions of the vehicle fleet, followed by the company supporting a Renewable Energy Project in return for internationally registered Carbon Credits to offset the fleet’s Carbon Footprint.

Nalaka Amaratunga, CEO of Walkers Tours, stated, “Being Carbon conscious in conducting its business operation has always being a core principle of Walkers Tours and since 2012 we have looked at ways of strengthening this further. In addition to expanding our fleet of hybrid vehicles and training our chauffeurs on industry best practices on sustainable driving, we are continuously looking at ways to ensure this concept is passed through our entire value chain and hence have now we have looked at ways of sharing knowledge and influencing our partners too to adopt these good practices. This would assist us in the future to provide a wholesome product in a carbon conscious manner and be proud of our responsible contribution to the environment at large.

Having worked with over a hundred local and international corporates to develop solutions for sustainability issues that companies currently face, CCC is well aware of the challenging nature that sustainability certification poses for clients. Speaking on the occasion, Sanith de S. Wijeyeratne, the CEO of CCC, commented, “ It gives us great pleasure to stand alongside Walkers Tours as they are recognized  for this monumental environmental achievement. Not content on being the first in Asia to achieve this status they have remained the ONLY internationally certified fleet of vehicles for period of 7 years – thus earning them further global accolades. This recognition from Natural Capital Partners further cements their sustainability credentials, and we are proud to be their partner in this endeavor”.

Walkers Tours has regularly monitored and managed its fleet’s operational carbon footprint for the past seven years, demonstrating that becoming a sustainable business is at the epicenter of its values, long-term goals and business strategy. As a company that dedicates itself to contributing towards economic, ecological and social development in their region, they have focused on new product development in less-developed parts of the country. Equipped with ISO 9001 & 14001 certifications, Walkers Tours has also been recognized as one of the best performing ‘TourCert Check’ Companies and is a member of the ‘Responsible Tourism Partnership Sri Lanka’ initiative.

Photo Caption : (From left to right)  Keerthi Ekanayake – Manager, Walkers Tours; Kishan Thomas – AVP, JKH; Vindya Cooray - AVP, JKH; Sanith de Silva - CEO, CCC; Nalaka Amaratunga – VP, JKH/ CEO, Walkers Tours; Lakmini Senadheera - Head of Sustainability Assurance and Advisory services, SFG ;  Sajeewa Ranasinghe – AM Sustainability Assurance and Advisory Services, SFG; Ruwanthi Halwala - AM, Client Relationship Management CCC; Yudesh Gunaratne – AM, Walkers Tours; Prabath Harshakumar – VP, JKH. [Absent / Missing: Nalika Abeysuriya – VP, JKH]

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WALKERS TOURS WINS BIG AT WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS 2020

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Moscow Metro Tour - With Reviews & Ratings

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Moscow Metro Tour

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Tour Information

Key Details

• Mobile Voucher Accepted
• Free Cancellation
• Duration: 1 Hr 30 Mins
• Language: English
• Departure Time : 3:00 PM
• Departure Details : Sapozhkovskaya Ploshchad', Manezhnaya Ulitsa, 13/1, Moskva, Russia, 125009
• Return Details : Returns to original departure point
• Cancellation Policy : For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Tours booked using discount coupon codes will be non refundable.

See the best examples of underground Soviet-era architecture on a 1.5-hour walking tour of Moscows metro stations! With an expert guide at your side, visit five of Moscows must-see stations, including iconic Mayakovskaya , and learn all about Stalins visions for the former Soviet Union. Hear about the Metro-2, a secret line said to have been used by the government and Kgb , and see grandiose architecture, mosaics, sculptures and more!

Know More about this tour

Meet your expert guide outside the Kremlin and head underground with your Moscow metro ticket to discover the citys underground treasures. See the most interesting stations with extravagant Soviet-era architecture and hear the history surrounding the metro stations from your expert guide. Widely praised as one of Stalins finest architectural achievements, Moscow 's subway was created to symbolize his rising regime and a recognized empire. Learn about his successors, who later toned down the ornateness of the subways architecture, and see how the different eras are reflected in the character of each station. If you're lucky, you may even find the secret entrance to the unconfirmed Metro-2, a parallel underground system used by the government -- a mystery which has neither been denied nor confirmed today. Visit Revolution Square Station ( Ploschad revolyutsii ) and admire the 72 magnificent bronze sculptures that depict the people of the former Soviet Union, set underneath marble arches designed by the legendary Russian architect Alexey Dushkin. Another Dushkin-created station is Novoslobodskaya , and youll head here next to admire its dazzling stained-glass panels. Discover Baroque dcor, vaulted ceilings and chandeliers at Komsomolskaya Station, and then marvel at the grandiose and pompous design of Kurskaya Station -- one of the first stations to be built. Its design reflects Stalins communist ideals and youll note its left-wing slogans on the walls, next to mosaics that symbolize the victory of his regime over poverty and starvation. Finally, pay a visit to Mayakovskaya , the station thats named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky, and see why its often considered the most beautiful and iconic Moscow Metro station. Gaze upward at some 30 fascinating mosaics that depict Stalins vision for a bright Soviet future, and then admire the features of typical pre-World War II architecture that the station embodies. Your tour ends here.

English-speaking local guide

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking

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Traveler Reviews

It was an amazing tour and an amazing metro, very much enjoyed it and the tour guide Ana was great !

Really excellent tour of the beautiful Moscow metro with an excellent guide who told us very interesting additional information as we went round.

Definitely do this if you’re in Moscow.

We were surprised at how interesting and beautiful the Moscow metro stations are. We had a great guide who spoke excellent English and explained lots of history associated with the stations.

Loved the tour of Moscow metro stations. The architecture inside the metro stations is gorgeous. Very informative tour guide. Definitely recommend this trip when you are in Moscow

Very informative and fun tour, Nick was a great guide, very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Meeting point was easy to find.

Well, honestly I always wanted to visit Moscows metro.The whole experience was incredible, the knowledge of the guide was very good too.Maybe you cannot see the whole thing, but note there are more interesting stations than you can see In just some hours

Probably one of the best tours I have ever been on. Each train station was so unique and beautiful.

Very interesting tour with great guides

My guide Ana was amazing!! So nice and informative. She spoke perfect Spanish and English.

Interesting and fun walk!

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