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Saturday, 16 July 2011

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Hambantota gearing for major tourist boom

With rapid development taking place in Hambantota and many new attractions being added to the area, tourism would become the number one contributor to the district. Hambantota had been traditionally known for its contribution to the GDP from the agriculture sector.


The leopard found in Yala

"However with many tourist attractions being added to the area and the airport and harbour being added to the Hambantota Portfolio tourism would soon surpass agriculture," former Hambantota District Association President and Hambantota District Tourism Committee Chairman, Ganesha Siriwardene said. He said already the hotel room strength in the area is increasing as Hambantota is soon shifting from an overnight stay destination to a three night stay with people having additional things to see.

He said one of the great attractions still remains to be the Yala National Park and with the end of terrorism new areas have been opened and visitor numbers have increased in leaps and bounds. "In addition the Bundala bird sanctuary too is attracting more visitors."


Ganesha Siriwardene

He also said that the Deep South Tourism Association is also looking at introducing new attractions such as River Safaris and also whale watching in Kirinda with the assistance of the Navy."

The proposed night animal safari park and the tropical park along with the Korean Convention Hall will woo more visitors to the area.

He said the hosting of two Cricket World Cup matches in Suriyawewa in Hambantota has given the destination the much needed international exposure and the South Asian Beach Volleyball tournament to be hosted at the end of the year too will give them additional exposure.

"However, the best thing that is happening to the area is the bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games which has put Hambantota in the global map."

The entry of Shangri-La hotel chain to Hambantota has given investor confidence and both Hambantota airport and harbour will result in the area being able to cater to Charters and cruise ships.

Insurance Corporation too is expected to build a star class hotel and many hotels such as Peacock Beach have already been upgraded to a four star and have added rooms to their portfolio. The Ranmihitenna Tele village too will bring additional guests including celebrities to the area and these will create direct and indirect employment opportunities increasing the money flow to the area.


SWITCH Asia advice helps Goldi Sands reduce energy bill

The SWITCH- Asia greening Sri Lanka hotels project which promotes energy, water and waste management in the country's hotel sector have become an important tool in energy and cost efficiency. There are many beneficiaries in the hotel sector and Goldi Sands Hotel in Negombo which implemented their recommendations have stood to gain much.

"We not only contribute in environment preservation, but also have been able to take increased measures in staff welfare matters through saving, Goldi Sands Chairman Eric Suriyasena told Daily News Business.

"We incur a huge electricity bill monthly and were able to save up to Rs 200,000 monthly which encouraged us to properly implement the process towards energy conservation. We have already installed a chilling plant with an investment of Rs 9.9 million. We expect to recover the investment through savings in the energy bill within few years," he said.

It is important to change the mindset towards environment sustainability where attitudes play an important role. However much the procedures are in place there will be no impact if we do not follow them accordingly.

The hotel has installed new air conditioner units that save energy up to 30 percent. This was all possible due to correct advice at the right time as Goldi Sands underwent a refurbishment process at a cost of over 100 million recently. "This provided the hotel an opportunity to make the necessary adjustments," he said.

The green certification is a valuable tool in attracting tourists and this will help in the long run growth in the industry and the hotels that are adhering to these procedures. The SME sector needs encouragement by the government by way of low interest rate loans to convert their hotels in to energy efficient entities.


Quantum leap in resort property sales

Sri Lanka's resort real estate sector is set to be Asia's next attraction according to market research conducted by leading international property consulting firm C9 Hotelworks.

Leading the surge is a new wave of foreign investment into resort property along the Southern coastline of the country.

There will be multi-million dollar hotel managed pool villas as seen in the other regional leisure destinations including Bali, Phuket and Koh Samui which attract high networth buyers internationally.

Tourism is a leading catalyst for resort property as it links to sustainable demand. The country's tourism will experience global brand presence which augurs well for the industry, C9 Hotelworks Managing Director Bill Barnett told Daily News Business.

"One benchmark project undertaken by us is the Six Senses Ahungalla Resort which will launch 14 oceanfront luxury villas for sale by the last quarter of this year. The pricing points are expected to set a new standard for resort grade real estate in the country," he said.


Bill Barnett

An increasing number of hotel chains are lending their brands to developers who view mixed use projects as attractive ways to minimize long term debt and equity positions and enhance project returns.

While private holiday homes and villas have boosted the capacity requirement and the resort area for a number of decades, with Galle being the epicenter, development is set to move further South. "The ultimate access and infrastructure improvements are certainly growth prospects. The new toll road between Colombo and Matara will expedite travel time is a saving for the tourists," he said.

Looking beyond Galle there is a noticeable uplift in projects from Talpe's golden mile, down to Weligama and Mirissa Bay.

The latter highlights activity with the soon to complete six villa luxury estate Nissala, built by a Hong Kong group who currently have one property remaining priced at US $ 2.45 million.

The research conducted by C9 Hotelworks indicates that the Tangalle area looks set to see major resort and property development in the short and medium terms. The close proximity to Tangalle with its white sand beaches and natural resorts make it an attractive target for international hotel chains.

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