To build small luxury hotel off Negombo:

Laugfs ventures into leisure sector

Hathoon Sheriffdeen

Laugfs Holdings is diversifying its business into the leisure sector with a Rs. 500 million investment on a small luxury hotel.

The project is targeted to be completed within eighteen months, General Manager, Laugfs Leisure Limited, Aruna Jayalath said.

Jayalath said the construction of the project will start in January 2008.

They have also applied for membership with the Small Luxury Hotels Association (SLHA)in UK. There are only three Sri Lankan hotels who are members of this organisation. SLHA has commenced inspections on this project.

The hotel is planned to be built in an area between Negombo and Chilaw. The area is untapped in terms of development.

The village income is based on the fisheries sector.

It stimulates attention of tourists with the natural environment, he said.

The land Laugfs have chosen the project hopes to conserve nature. Mahadala fishing is the livelihood of most villagers and they expect nature lovers to visit this area.

The hotel will be located by the side of the lagoon. It will enrich water sports and water entertainments. All rooms will be built to augment the view of the accommodators. The hotel will also give the experience of a floating atmosphere, Jayalath said.

The hotel will be part of the village with the villagers getting an opportunity to sell their products to the hotel.

This will make the villagers to be our stakeholders, he said.

“During construction the hotel will train people in the surrounding areas to find work.

This training centre will train youth on gardening, house keeping, maintenance, food preparation, IT and other clerical areas. The training centre will act as an educating body also, Jayalath said.

The Spa will be managed by experienced hoteliers from abroad, he said.

“Our hotel will give easy access to Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Wilpattu and the Cultural Triangle.

It will also be in close proximity to and connect the Dutch canal from Negombo to Kalpitiya under the Tourist Board’s ten year plan to develop the area.