Galadari Group confident about Lanka’s tourism destination status

Shirajiv Sirimane

TOURISM: The Galadari Group has confidence in Sri Lanka as a major emerging tourist destination and this is the reason for them to invest to reconstruct the hotel,” Executive Director, Galadari Brothers Co. LLL, Yahya M. Kazi said.

Speaking to the Daily News on the occasion of the visit of Miss World, Tatana Kucharova, to Sri Lanka last week he said they have completely rebuilt the hotel, which was damaged after the LTTE bomb explosion over a decade ago.

“We invested heavily in the property as we knew that the destination would recover. And we are already reaping benefits from our investment,” he said.They recently opened the largest ballroom facility for a hotel of this nature and is now looking at constructing a three storeyed car park.

“We have 480 rooms in operation and maintains a high occupancy,” he said.Over more than 25 years, the Galadari Group has remained alive to opportunities, attuned to shifting market conditions and has been responsive to changing consumer demands.

As a result, the Galadari Brothers Group has become one of the most prominent commercial groups in the UAE. The group also has star hotels in Europe and the Middle East.

“I am very positive and bullish that Sri Lankan tourism would recover soon and we are looking at making more investments in the future,” he said.

He said other destinations in the region such as the Maldives and India are doing well and this too would give strength to the country’s leisure sector.

The visit of world beauty queens would provide additional value to Sri Lanka and this is something the authorities should capitalise on.