Time Magazine, one of the oldest and most reputed publications in the world, has featured Kandy’s Santani resort in its ‘World’s Greatest Places’ list, making it the first Sri Lankan entity to be featured in any TIME Magazine list. Santani, a luxury resort located in Kandy, is one of only eight Asian properties featured on this prestigious annual list published last week. To create the list, TIME solicited nominations across a variety of categories — including museums, parks, restaurants and hotels— as well as recommendations from industry stalwarts. Evaluation was based on several factors, including quality, originality, innovation, sustainability and influence. Only 45 properties have made it to the list which features nearly 100 places. Of the 45 hotels, only 8 are from Asia and Santani is the only property in Sri Lanka. Santani, meaning ‘in harmony’ in Sanskrit is a luxury wellness resort based in Kandy. “We are extremely proud of the recognition that Santani has brought to Sri Lanka by clinching this top position. Santani has also placed Sri Lanka firmly on the travel map by showcasing the best the country has to offer,” said Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Chairman, Mr. Dehan Seneviratne. Santani was previously featured by Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and Tatler as one of the best spas in the world and one of the best new hotels of the world. Forbes Magazine also listed Santani as a unique hotel and the property was awarded the Geoffrey Bawa award for Architectural Excellence. Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs, John Amaratunga stated that he was overwhelmed that a Sri Lankan hotel was bestowed this accolade. “This is a great endorsement of Sri Lanka’s tourism potential and Sri Lanka tourism brand and will have a huge positive impact on the whole industry. In just a short span since opening, Santani has achieved more international recognition than any new hotel and the fact that a Sri Lankan property made it to the list, while regional competitors such as Thailand and Indonesia have no properties listed is an achievement for the country, and this will bring additional global attention to Sri Lanka.” Vickum Nawagamuwage, CEO and Founder of Santani stated “We have received unprecedented international recognition since opening year and a half ago, but to be featured on ‘World’s Greatest’ list by TIME is really a great honour. To be listed among the top hospitality brands in the world showcases how Santani has used its conceptual positioning to bring significant exposure to the country. I am thankful to the whole team.” Nawagamuwage added “This is not just an achievement for Santani but an achievement for the entire country. Santani is a homegrown brand and as Sri Lankans, we are extremely proud to showcase a unique Sri Lankan property to the rest of the world.” In addition to this listing, Vogue also selected Santani as one of the top health and wellness retreats in the world. Director Operations at Santani, Chamindra Goonewardene stated “Just six properties were listed by Vogue Australia, and all of them were well established wellness resorts. Santani has been open for just under two years and it is already considered one of the top wellness resorts in the world.” Minister Amaratunga noted that the successful promotion on CNN and the planned branding and marketing campaign in November will bring more high-end visitors to Sri Lanka. “We are also on the verge of launching several campaigns in markets with high potential, and we are grateful that a Sri Lankan property was selected to this prestigious list and put Sri Lanka on the world map.”