Southern hotels' surge of success from a wave of devastation

Text and pix by Prasad Abu Bakr

The tourism sector which was largely affected by the tsunami a year ago has re-opened for business this season. Many locals are responding positively but foreign travellers are concerned over media reports on certain issues raised during the recent presidential campaign.

December 26th, 2004 is a day that most people in this part of the world wants to forget in a hurry, for some it is an endless nightmare with the loss of their loved ones to the horrible tsunami holocaust that occurred a year ago.

To come out of a disaster of that magnitude in a hurry is a difficult task and a government of any political leaning even with large amounts of funding from international agencies will have to bear with the enormous task of not only reinstating the misplaced and the homeless but the bigger responsibility of monitoring the corruption that will invariably take place in the process, specially in a Third World Country such as ours.

The major part of the work carried out during the past one year was mainly carried under the direction of the government besides a large number of NGOs and private individuals that got involved. These operations were mainly to help individuals and families that got affected in the course of the event.

The tourism sector that was affected had to brace themselves against all odds because other than the insurance claims that covered the properties that were damaged no NGO or the state was going to compensate their losses though certain concessions were made by the government in the industry's favour to lessen the burden. With or without help the hoteliers realised that they have to get their properties ready for this winter and that's exactly what they did.

A day before that fateful day in December 2004 the hotels were full to capacity and not one hotel on the coastal belt was able to spare even one room. In some cases most of the executive quarters were also up-graded to accommodate guests.

Nobody anticipated the events that followed because it was not something that we have ever seen or experienced in our entire life time.

Most hoteliers were dumb struck at the time, some of them had no appropriate answer to a simple question as "What next?" but today they all must be applauded in the manner they have managed their own affairs and the ability to come out on top not only helping them selves but also taking care of their staff, most of them who are natives from the area.

Managing Director of Jetwing Hotels Hiran Cooray said that the loss of Yala Safari Lodge which was completely washed away was a great loss but to him and others of his group the loss of their staff and others in the process is still what matters.

"Because though the hotel can be rebuilt human life we will not be able to compensate at any cost" he said. However Jetwing Hotels as at present has made a request from Sri Lanka Tourism for a block of land further away from where the former 98-room hotel stood. Most of the employees that survived are at present employed at various other properties owned by the group.

The Confifi Group of hotels which was the most badly affected with all four of its resorts being damaged that too immediately after major refurbishment being carried out at Eden Resort and Spa and at Reverina hotel, both in Beruwala.

"Now we are fully operational, with both the above properties and the Club Palm Garden opened for business" said Anura Lokuhetty Chief Executive Officer of the Confifi Group.

He also stated that the re-opening of the Confifi Hotel has been delayed as they have decided to re-position the property and open it by the latter part of next year. "We took the advantage of further improving the facilities of all our properties during the tsunami restoration work" the CEO said in conclusion.

Director Marketing of Amaya Resorts and Spas Dinesh Silva stating his views said that all their properties are doing well not withholding the fact that the Amaya Reef (formerly Hotel Reefcomber) in Hikkaduwa was acquired by them during its failing stages in early 2004 and immediately re-furbished incurring a large sum of money.

"But in December the same year the property was hit by the tsunami". Dayal Fernando the present Manager of the hotel said that they are doing well and has a 70 percent occupancy with a large foreign clientele this season, he further stated that during the festive season they are completely full with the locals booking the rest of the rooms.

The Kosgoda Beach Resort which came under the management of McLarens Hotels in December 2004 was affected badly where the owner Arjuna Dias was saddled with the task of re-building from scratch and today a major turn around has been achieved, said Anura Basnayake, Joint Managing Director of McLarens Hotels.

"After the soft opening on the December 31 the property is geared for a grand showing in January 2006" said Basnayake further commenting on the other property of the group Emerald Bay Hotel in Induruwa which was not operating fully at the time it was affected. "But we were able to up-grade the property and bring it in to operation during the first half of this year".

Chief Executive Officer of Serendib Leisure Management Srilal Miththapala said that during and immediately following the catastrophe they received a lot of support from the employees.

Hotel Serendib Bentota where the entire ground floor was damaged was cleaned-up and opened by January 26, 2005 "which was a difficult task, even though we did not open 15 of the ground floor rooms as we planned to up-grade and open them later in 2006." Miththapala explained how they had to reinstate the complete kitchen and restaurant that was badly affected.

White Heaven owned and managed by Chef Sunil Silva in Panadura was also affected. He said even though it affected him badly he vowed to re-open the hotel for business as soon as possible and he did shedding to a side obstacles that came in his way.

Natural disasters of this nature happen rarely but when it does you survive facing the responsibility such as the ones that many of these hoteliers had to shoulder. It sure takes a lot of moral strength and courage coupled with an insight to remain in your business and steer ahead towards various goals.

Today, one year after the giant wave swept away not only many of their property and goods but even their hopes to an extent at the time the hoteliers of the southern coastal belt have re-surfaced with a sense of character that we all should be proud about as Sri Lankans.