By Aamna Mahboob and
Farveeza Ansar
Business is as usual on the Valentine’s Day though there were lots of commercial advertisements done for Valentines Day via the print and electronic media with special offers to attract couples by hoteliers, accessories and florists. However, most people did not seem all that inclined to celebrate their love on a special day but had various thoughts of how they would go about. The Daily Financial times interviewed some hoteliers, florists and buyers.
Food and Beverage Manager of Ceylon Continental Hotel Nalaka Colombage said that they are having special offers for couples to enjoy the Valentines Day. He said that they have organized some competitions for couples and goodies, heart shape strawberry cheese cake; Love cake red roses are available at the continental. Dinner with Cocktail is specially arranged for valentines. “We have good response from people for this occasion,” he said.
Stone N String is attracting couples with the varieties of accessories. Advertising and Marketing Manager Farhan Kawlins said “if couples come together we offer them free photograph of them from Cannon”.
He further said that if the buyers buy more than 5000 rupees we gave them Oriflame perfume and there is special dinner at Delifrance on February 14 for 10 lucky couples by way of a draw.
Galadari Hotel is offering free heart shape cakes to ladies and free cocktail at dinner for couples. They are also offering ‘Shades of purple’ at California Grill and free roses for ladies.
“Compared to last year we have a big demand of roses for Valentine’s Day but unfortunately they do not have much supply and production of roses to fulfill the demand of customers,” Jayantha, manager of Shirohana Florist said.
According to him though the demand of roses starts from December but the red roses seasons commences from March, which is also one reason in that they cannot reach to the demand. “I think Valentines don’t know about the rose season, it comes on wrong time,” he said.
He further said that they do something special for Valentines Day like heart shape bouquet, heart shape box, special box and special valentine glass packing.
However this time there are not much many couples are celebrating or spending much as they normally do on Valentines Day. Financial Times interviews around 12 couples and only two of them are going to celebrate it.
Sachini Perera a student from Colombo University who does not believe in the concept of valentine and thinks it is pointless to spend so much money when it could be put to better use. She said that she won't be celebrating it even future.
There are some people who want their partner to spend money on this day like Vatsala. She said that “she would like to go and have nice dinner at some place and nice spending little less than 3000 rupees most of the time it would be him who will spend”.
However she questioned that if she has to spend around 1000 rupees but she has no idea what she will get in this amount? She said that though things have gone up in price but there are people who will go that distance to make the one they love happy.Gayan Ratnayaka willing to spend around Rs.4000 but not more than it on valentines day including a present and dinner and everything on that day. He said that he will celebrate at one of Colombo's restaurants as there are not much places to go in the capital or away from it.
Telling about the rose price he said that the prices are up. “I remember it was around 100 bucks last year or year before. It’s now around 200 or more at Shirohana Florist so it has gone up in price,” he said.
He refers the cheapest place which is near eye hospital. Where one can get a rose around 50 bucks a rose (last year or year before), they might have also increased in price now around 100 rupees.
Farveeza Ansar
Business is as usual on the Valentine’s Day though there were lots of commercial advertisements done for Valentines Day via the print and electronic media with special offers to attract couples by hoteliers, accessories and florists. However, most people did not seem all that inclined to celebrate their love on a special day but had various thoughts of how they would go about. The Daily Financial times interviewed some hoteliers, florists and buyers.
Food and Beverage Manager of Ceylon Continental Hotel Nalaka Colombage said that they are having special offers for couples to enjoy the Valentines Day. He said that they have organized some competitions for couples and goodies, heart shape strawberry cheese cake; Love cake red roses are available at the continental. Dinner with Cocktail is specially arranged for valentines. “We have good response from people for this occasion,” he said.
Stone N String is attracting couples with the varieties of accessories. Advertising and Marketing Manager Farhan Kawlins said “if couples come together we offer them free photograph of them from Cannon”.
He further said that if the buyers buy more than 5000 rupees we gave them Oriflame perfume and there is special dinner at Delifrance on February 14 for 10 lucky couples by way of a draw.
Galadari Hotel is offering free heart shape cakes to ladies and free cocktail at dinner for couples. They are also offering ‘Shades of purple’ at California Grill and free roses for ladies.
“Compared to last year we have a big demand of roses for Valentine’s Day but unfortunately they do not have much supply and production of roses to fulfill the demand of customers,” Jayantha, manager of Shirohana Florist said.
According to him though the demand of roses starts from December but the red roses seasons commences from March, which is also one reason in that they cannot reach to the demand. “I think Valentines don’t know about the rose season, it comes on wrong time,” he said.
He further said that they do something special for Valentines Day like heart shape bouquet, heart shape box, special box and special valentine glass packing.
However this time there are not much many couples are celebrating or spending much as they normally do on Valentines Day. Financial Times interviews around 12 couples and only two of them are going to celebrate it.
Sachini Perera a student from Colombo University who does not believe in the concept of valentine and thinks it is pointless to spend so much money when it could be put to better use. She said that she won't be celebrating it even future.
There are some people who want their partner to spend money on this day like Vatsala. She said that “she would like to go and have nice dinner at some place and nice spending little less than 3000 rupees most of the time it would be him who will spend”.
However she questioned that if she has to spend around 1000 rupees but she has no idea what she will get in this amount? She said that though things have gone up in price but there are people who will go that distance to make the one they love happy.Gayan Ratnayaka willing to spend around Rs.4000 but not more than it on valentines day including a present and dinner and everything on that day. He said that he will celebrate at one of Colombo's restaurants as there are not much places to go in the capital or away from it.
Telling about the rose price he said that the prices are up. “I remember it was around 100 bucks last year or year before. It’s now around 200 or more at Shirohana Florist so it has gone up in price,” he said.
He refers the cheapest place which is near eye hospital. Where one can get a rose around 50 bucks a rose (last year or year before), they might have also increased in price now around 100 rupees.
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