Charlie Austin
Charlie moved to Sri Lanka in pursuit of work experience with an environmental NGO after completing a Masters degree at Sussex University. However, upon arriving in Sri Lanka in September 1999, his career soon took a different direction as he was appointed Country Manager of Cricinfo.com, the world’s leading cricket website. Having fallen for Sri Lanka’s charms, he also set-up Red Dot with David Hopps in the same year. He heads our sales team in Colombo and also plays a lead role in the development of our new products and services. His special areas of expertise include boutique hotels, villa holidays and family itineraries. His passions are food and cricket. As well as being a director of Red Dot and Cricinfo, he runs a sports management business with his wife, Suthami, called Austin Management Limited (AML) that manages several Sri Lanka cricketers, including Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Lasith Malinga. He is also the co-owner of ADL alongside Mike Davis, an old school friend from Bryanston School in Dorset. The pair are opening their first boutique hotel in September 2008 called The Wallawwa, a luxurious 15-bedrom property near Colombo airport.
Homepage: http://www.reddottours.com
Posts by Charlie Austin
Seenigama Academy win the inaugural Elephant House Murali Cup
Jul 20th
Seenigama Academy won the inaugural Murali Cup last weekend with a brilliant display against Dulwich College in the final at Surrey Village in Maggona. The final was dominated by the sensational batting of Adeesha Thilakshana, who scored a whirlwind 100 not out.
Thilakshana’s hundred, reached of the last ball of the innings after an overthrow, allowed the strong Seenigama XI score 245 for 2 in 35 overs. Dulwich College, the strongest of four English teams in the tournament, were restricted to 59 for 8 before rain stopped play in the 22nd over.
St. Patrick’s College Jaffna, who were invited to participate in the tournament by former captain Kumar Sangakkara, one of the trustees of the Foundation of Goodness (FOG), won the third place play-off against KLCA from Malaysia.
Chaaya Blu opens in Trinco.
May 20th
The dawning of peace in Sri Lanka last year opened up the exciting potential for tourism in the east coast and the first visible sign of this is the opening of Chaaya Blu last week. Owned by John Keells Hotel Group and called Club Oceanic previously, the “retro-chic” four-star beach hotel was conceptualised by master architect Channa Daswatte and inspired by the James Bond movie, ‘Die Another Day’.
Speaking after the opening, Deputy Chairman of John Keells Holdings Ajit Gunewardene said: “This ‘70s property now revamped as a stylish retro-chic product will also set trends in modern resort interiors being outside the typical Sri Lankan resort design. However, despite the uniqueness of its design, what the hotel truly promotes is an exploration of its surroundings; from the scenic white beaches to the popular sites, flavours and culture of the locality.”
SriLankan Airlines launch Economy Plus.
Aug 27th
SriLankan Airlines announced on Wednesday that they’ll be offering a new “Economy Plus” service from 1 Sept on their London to Colombo route. A media release said: “Enjoy the comfort of a seat pitch of 35 inches and an exclusive, relaxed cabin ensuring you arrive at your destination in better shape. Seats will start from Row 10 to 14.” The new service will cost an additional £50 each way. Passengers can book in advance through their agent or can upgrade on check-in subject to availability.
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