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Sri Lanka Tourism in Top Gear
Sep 01, 05 | 7:48 am
Sri Lanka will be forecasting a return to double digit growth in tourism arrivals when it makes its presence felt at London’s World Travel Market in November.
Recent refurbishments, the opening of new coastal properties, keen investment interest from big players in the international hospitality industry and a positive tourism outlook are all strong indicators that Sri Lanka is back in business.
“We are delighted to hear that Sri Lanka is back on top form”, said Fiona Jeffery, Group Exhibition Director for World Travel Market. “I understand that the return to a positive trend has been gathering pace throughout 2005.
Sri Lanka Tourist Board (SLTB) Chairman, Mr Udaya Nanayakkara, said:
“It was a tragic year for us in 2004, but tourism is an extremely resilient industry and we are working hard to ensure that the buoyancy experienced up until the final days of last year will return in the shortest time possible.
“World Travel Market will play a strategic part in our turnaround.”
Only 48 of Sri Lanka’s 248 star-class hotels were damaged by the tsunami. Of these, 31 have already been repaired and are fully operational and a further 10 are being totally refurbished, and will be ready by the beginning of the winter season in November 2005.
The most recent high-end property scheduled to re-open for business is Apa Villa at Thalpe Beach, which will reopen on October 1 following an extensive makeover.
A brand-new, luxury four-suite villa, called Saffrons Beach Villa, is scheduled to open on December 1 this year. Situated just metres from the Indian Ocean at Habaradua , the villa will provide a stunning private retreat for up to eight people.
Construction has begun on the Hyatt Regency Colombo, the latest international hotel chain to invest in Sri Lanka’s future as an up-market tourist destination. The project is scheduled for completion by December 2008, at a cost of about US$100 million.
The 43-storey Hyatt Regency building, set on prime land on Galle Road, in the heart of Colombo, will house both the Hyatt Regency and luxury apartments.
Sheraton, part of the giant Starwood Hotels and Resorts Group, is also moving ahead with its plans to establish its luxury brand name in Sri Lanka. The Colombo property will be constructed on three acres of land – near the International Cricket Stadium – with an initial investment of more than US$25 million. It will be a fully-fledged business hotel with 300 rooms and modern conference facilities.
Luxury international hospitality brand, Banyan Tree, will develop a new lifestyle concept in the capital, Colombo. Developed under the company’s Angsana brand – The Angsana City Club & Spa – and located at the up-market Crescat City mall in the centre of Colombo, the luxury spa is scheduled to open later this year.
Banyan Tree currently operates the 77-room Deer Park Hotel in Giritale in the Cultural Triangle, and the company is actively seeking other investment opportunities on the island.
New boutique hotel developments opened in 2005
Amanwella - Tangalle
Amangalla - Galle
Extensively refurbished properties to re-open in 2005
The Kandalama Hotel, located within the island’s Cultural Triangle, near Sigiriya Rock Fortress will re-open on December 1, 2005.
Apa Villa Thalpe
New developments scheduled to open in 2005
The Fortress - The Per Aquum Resort & Spa venture, located on the southern coast near Galle, is scheduled to open later this year.
Galle Face Hotel – The Regency – will be open for business on August 15, with the official opening in November 2005
Saffrons Beach Villa
Refurbishments/re-opening in 2006
Triton Hotel, Ahungalle, on Sri Lanka’s south coast is scheduled to re-open on January 15, 2006,.
Further information please contact Nina Gardiner or Sonja Rose, (PR for Sri Lanka Tourist Board) on +44 (0)207 886 0942; or Jane Larcombe (World Travel Market) on +44 (0) 1892 785071.
WORLD TRAVEL MARKET PICTURE LIBRARY
High resolution World Travel Market pictures can be accessed speedily and efficiently via the online World Travel Market Picture Library.
Log on to www.wtmlondon.com
· Click on Press & PR on left hand side of screen and then click to enter library. When prompted, please key in your name and company for our records.
· You will find a wide selection of logos, general views and specific pictures with captions, depicting aspects of the event. These will be regularly updated.
· Click on the thumbnail of your choice to see a larger version of the picture
· Click on the download button in the left margin
· Save as a jpg. file
· Open the file after saving to your system.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. Reed Travel Exhibitions is part of Reed Exhibitions Ltd. who organise over 430 events in 32 countries, serving 49 different industries in 13 key sectors, attracting over 90,000 exhibiting companies and more than 4 million visitors every year.
2. As a member of the Reed Elsevier plc group, the world-leading business and information provider, Reed Exhibitions is unique in offering integrated market access programmes covering exhibitions, trade publications, direct marketing and the Internet. Reed Elsevier’s business titles are closely linked with Reed’s exhibition activities across both geographic and industrial markets. It also has a growing portfolio of electronic publishing and information services, including LEXIS-NEXIS, the world’s leading provider of on-line information services and management tools.
3. Reed Travel Exhibitions organise 13 events worldwide, including World Travel Market, Arabian Travel Market, C.I.S. Travel Market, EIBTM, British Travel Trade Fair, Asia Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME), International Golf Travel Market, Top Resa, Mediterranean Travel Fair, ICCA Exhibition, in association with the ICCA Congress, International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM), La Cumbre and Latin American & Caribbean Incentive & Meetings Exhibition (LACIME).
4. For further press information, please visit the Reed Travel Exhibitions’ website on www.reedtravelexhibitions.com
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