Dulani makes her mark as hotelier

Sanjeevi JAYASURIYA

Steering a company from scratch to reach a level of international recognition is no small task. When the country was hit by tsunami, a large extent of the coastal area suffered heavy damage. Dulani Guruge was at the helm of Peacock Beach Hotel, Hambantota soon after the tsunami which destroyed the hotel to mere debris.

Her efforts to rebuild and turnaround the venture provides ample testimony for the strong management skills. She lived up to her family expectations and went beyond in bringing fame to Peacock Beach Hotel which maintains four star class status in Hambantota.

Being the only hotel in the four star category in Hambantota , Peacock Beach is the popular choice for visitors to Yala, Kataragama and Bundala. The serenity and ambience this property provides coupled with classy hospitality have been the hallmark of the hotel. The boom in the tourism industry and the accelerated development drive centered around Hambantota city is a silver lining for many ventures including Peacock Beach Hotel.

Young and energetic Dulani has an enormous appetite to make the hotel a regional player becoming a forerunner in the country’s forward march in making tourism a key driver of the economy.

She was interviewed by Daily News Business.

Here are the excerpts of the interview.

Q: How do you describe your line of business?

A: My family runs the famous Guruge Group of Companies. Our core business is in the gem trade and we are engaged in business from the 1970s. The Peacock Beach Hotel Hambantota was a family business since 1985. My father Jinadasa Guruge is the Group Chairman and mother Swarnalatha Guruge provides structural support behind the scene. My father later diversified the business into hospitality, hotel and tourism.

I took over the hotel at a decisive juncture as the Managing Director in 2004 soon after tsunami. The property was heavily damaged and it underwent a vigorous renovation process. The hotel is classified as a four star property and is the only beach front hotel in Yala and Kataragama.

The hotel is the biggest in Hambantota with 104 rooms. The facilities include a spacious conference hall, banquet, two restaurants, two swimming pools and recreation facilities. The hotel works with local travel agents and direct foreign contacts to attract locals and foreigners. We have guests coming since the 80s. The hotel is doing extremely well and new facilities were added with refurbishment giving the hotel a new look.

Q: What motivated you to venture into business?

A: From my small days my father motivated me to get hands on experience in the family business. I was fascinated the way the travel trade functioned. It’s a combination of business and pleasure. Though Sri Lanka’s hotel industry was in a volatile situation I was determined to face the challenges. This gave me the

strength and the courage to make our property as one of the best in the region. I studied in Australia and earned a Bachelors Degree and upon my return I joined the travel trade where I gathered nearly two years experience before taking the reins of Peacock Beach Hotel.

Q: How do you manage time to handle your personal life?

A: I always had a balance between personal and business life. I work according to a schedule as my work involves intense travelling. I make it a point to keep my weekends free from business commitments. Having a well-organized business life and sticking to a schedule have enabled me to manage time effectively.

Q: What are your goals?

A: I intend improving the service standards to become the best hotel in the region. Our Group plans to expand and set up more hotels in the Deep South. With the development going on in the Hambantota city, the business looks promising. As the hotel is in tremendous shape adding to the line will be beneficial.

Q: How do you face the challenge of competition?

A: We are proactive and want to gain the first mover advantage. Competition is healthy and good for business. It makes you going. Our focus to become an exceptional service provider has given us the competitive edge over others.

Q: What examples do you provide others?

A: I took over the hotel at a worst time where it had structural damages. The time ahead was not looking rosy. Facing the challenges with sheer determination, having proper team spirit and having the right people around me paid off well. Therefore, my key areas of strength are determination, courage and faith in myself.

Q: What is your specialty?

A: With the trend changing from leisure to business in Hambantota we have changed the service delivery to meet the current demand. The hotel has wi-fi facility, conferencing and meeting facilities and a well-equipped business centre. We are the closest to many upcoming facilities such as the second airport and the Hambantota port. We cater to the accommodation requirements of Yala, Kataragama and Bundala visitors. We provide them the beach experience and all the rooms are with a private balcony with splendid beach view.

Q: What are your achievements in business?

A: Being the only four star hotel in Hambantota we have the first mover advantage. We were the official host for the ICC World Cup Cricket Tournament and also the South Asian Beach Games held in Hambantota. We were the only hotel to win two awards at the Culinary Show at the BMICH. The hotel was able to secure the trophy for the Best Entrepreneur Award at the ceremony organized by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce in 2009.

Q: What is your message to society?

A: Always have positive thoughts regardless of being personal or business related. Be goal oriented as focus is important to achieve success. Listen and gain knowledge from society, work place and colleagues. Be a team player and promote collective efforts. Make sure you lead by example but not on authority.

[email protected]