Global Lanka to setup duty free shopping mall in Peliyagoda
 

Hiran H. Senewiratne reporting from London

UK based Sri Lankan Company, Global Lanka Holdings Ltd (GLH) is looking at possibilities to set up an American style duty free shopping mall at Peliyagoda at a cost of US $ 30 million to cater to the lucrative Indian tourist market.

Indian tourists are coming to Sri Lanka in a big way for shopping and tourism and we need is to take the opportunity of that market and provide duty free shopping for them, its Managing Director Phylix Selvadurai told the Daily News. He said this US style shopping mall would be in a three million square feet area and provide all items under one roof. This is a huge advantage of the Sri Lanka with the currency advantage as Sri Lankan rupee against the Indian currency, he said.

GLG being a property developer in UK provides expertise and knowledge to create a big complex with all infrastructure facilities including traffic management, architecturally designed building which suits all purposes, Selvadurai said.

At present, a lot of Indian tourists visit Sri Lanka for shopping which will be able to cater to this market once this mall set up at this strategic location, he said. The company is looking for a 10-acre plot of land with close access to the Airport and GLG be involved in property and infrastructure development, he said.

In the mean time, the second phase of the Global Tower Hotel is expected to come up adjoining the existing hotel at a cost of Rs 1.8 billion (US$ 18 m)

This Global Towers Hotel phase 2 will have 130 hotel rooms, 66 one- bedroom executive suites, 5 two-bedroom executive suites and 4 penthouse suites.

In addition it will have a resplendent lobby area of 6,000 sq.ft along with a sprawling restaurant a sports bar a banquet hall upto 100 guests a roof top swimming pool and adjoining it for the first time in Sri Lanka a Revolving Restaurant on the 15th floor looking the city of Colombo and the Indian ocean, he said.

The magnificent Global Tower Hotel is the first investment in Sri Lanka at a cost of Rs 650 million, he said.