500,000 Euros for franchise:

Siddalepa opens spa in Frankfurt

Siddalepa Ayurveda resorts would open one of their franchise Ayurveda Spa’s in Frankfurt on March 1. This is the first time that Sri Lankan franchise has been sold to Europe. Managing Director of the Group, Asoka Hettigoda told Daily News Business at the ITB exhibition, that they were proud to carry a Sri Lankan brand name overseas. The spa would be housed in a 120 room luxury hotel in Dresden Frankfurt and the hotel has invested nearly 500,000 Euros to obtain this franchise and also to prepare seven therapy rooms and remunerate its staff.

He said that they already have two franchise Ayurveda spas in Germany and said that there was good demand for high quality and genuine Ayurveda products.

“However, back in Sri Lanka the quality of some of the treatment is substandard and this could have a negative impact to the growing wellness industry in Sri Lanka,’’ he said.

Hettigoda also said that they would provide high salary employment to many youth from this project. He said that in most instances, clients take basic treatment from spas in Germany and then travel to Sri Lanka for advanced long duration treatment to their hotel, Siddhalepa Ayurvedic Health Resort in Wadduwa. ‘This helps us to maintain high occupancies at the hotel,’ he said.

The star class hotel with 50 rooms, was completely refurbished recently. He also disclosed that they were now working with one of the leading German Insurance Companies, Centrovital in a bid to seek German Government approval for Ayurveda treatment to be included in their insurance policy. He said that he also had an on air therapy for long haul flights where a masseur would be on board.

‘I have presented this proposal to SriLankan Airlines and was awaiting their response. This would be the first time in the world an airline would offer Ayurveda massages on a flight and it would add tremendous value to the national carrier.’’