Ramada looks for more investments, property
The Ramada international hotel chain is looking at investing in more
opportunities in Sri Lanka.
Consultant to the Group and Chairman Managing Director, Millennium
Hospitality International, Nihal S. Samarasinha said they are looking
for a property in Colombo. The Ramada International chain recently
signed up with Ramada Katunayake the former Situmedura.
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Nihal Samarasinha |
In addition they are the franchise holders of Golden Sun Resort in
Kalutara now renamed as Ramada. “Currently we have about 140 rooms in
our portfolio in Colombo and we need to increase this to around 200,” he
said.
This is the reason the group is looking at a property in the City.
“We forecast that the conflict in Sri Lanka is not something that is
going to drag on for a longer time. This is why we want to invest now
and be prepared for better times in the future,” he said.
The group an international hotel chain has over 1000 rooms in India
and Sri Lanka is the second country in the region Ramada has invested.
“We want to get into the Maldives. However we are yet to see an
opportunity there,” he said.
Samarasinha based in Germany said Sri Lanka will once again turn
around to a high value destination after the war is over. He said that
with Ramada franchise, Sri Lankan hotels would be marketed
internationally along with their other hotels and in addition the staff
too will receive advanced training.
Meanwhile, World Tourism Organisation, (UNWTO), hopes to help
eradicate child labour and sexual exploitation in the global travel
industry. WTM backs a Protect Children Campaign and Chairman of World
Travel Market, Fiona Jeffery said this is an issue which, though it is
known and recognised as a problem by the industry, is rarely discussed
and action taken.
“The terrible fact remains that despite increased reporting of sex
offenders who are arrested for child abuse abroad, Governments are not
working to stop child sex tourism.”
According to an estimate by the International Labour Organisation,
246 million children are engaged in child labour, while millions are
especially vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. |
