HSBC - promoting sports tourism in Sri Lanka

HSBC’s aim to promote Sri Lanka as an increasingly attractive destination for travelling golfers is the reason why it teamed up with SriLankan Airlines to host the SriLankan Strokes Tournament for the second consecutive year in February 2007.

Famed for its reputation as one of the toughest courses to play on, world over, the Nuwara Golf Course in Sri Lanka proved to be the ideal location for a serious game of golf as over one hundred golfers teed off on 22 and 23 February 2007, the Bank said this week.

HSBC was successful in attracting over 20 high net worth customers from India and the Philippines, in addition to the Sri Lankan HSBC Premier customers who participated. S Sangani and L T Samarawickrema battled it out for the HSBC Premier prize and L T Samarawickrama finally walked away with not only the HSBC Premier trophy but also the amazing opportunity to watch the HSBC Champions Tournament scheduled to be played in Shanghai, China in November 2007.

Rohan Athureliya, one of the Premier customers, had a hole-in-one on the 9th hole and was awarded a special prize - a fully-paid package of a return trip to Bangkok, courtesy of the organisers. HSBC Premier members who played in the Sri Lankan Strokes 2007 tournament also enjoyed exclusive tour packages from SriLankan Airlines, including airfare, airport transfers, accommodation at one of the partner hotels, caddy and green fees and an invitation to the gala awards dinner that was held in the evening of the final day of the tournament.