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| Friday, 28 January 2005 |
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BOI in expansion agreement with Asian hotels and properties
The BOI signed an expansion agreement recently with Asian Hotels and Properties Ltd (formerly known as Crescat Developments Ltd) to the value of over Rs 3.4 billion, for the construction and development of a 30-storeyed premium residential apartment complex, "The Monarch" at the Crescat City premises, further enhancing Crescat City's claim as being the nucleus of luxury urban living. Crescat City houses the Colombo Plaza hotel - which is being refurbished by Asian Hotels at a cost of US $ 18 million, to soon become Colombo's largest five star hotel, with 500 rooms - Crescat Residencies, another luxury apartment tower and the Crescat Boulevard, Colombo's upmarket shopping mall. A Lifestyle complex consisting of a spa managed by Banyan Tree and other facilities such as, Gym, Swimming Pool, Restaurants and Tennis Courts offering exclusive club membership is scheduled to be operational by mid 2005.
Susantha Ratnayake, Deputy Chairman, John Keells Holdings Ltd, the holding company of Asian Hotels and Properties, said that "The Monarch" offers 11.5 acres of unrestricted access with two road frontages at the most prime location in Colombo, and that the tower has already been over 80% pre-sold, with construction scheduled for completion in June 2007. "Market research indicated the need for premium residential apartments, and this is further exemplified in the pre-sale of all the high value apartments at "The Monarch" in a six months" Ratnayake added. "The Monarch" which has been designed by renowned Singaporean architects Palmer and Turner, will feature Presidential suites, Penthouses, Duplexes, 1,2 & 3 Bed Roomed apartment units, a swimming pool, a gymnasium, sauna, business centre and a car park for each apartment. ############ SLTB to bring down 100 journalists to Lanka by Anjana Gamage As a first and fast step to boost the image of the country's tourism which suffered a set back from the tsunami disaster, 100 journalists along with a crew of other travel and tour operators will be flown to the country during the first week of February by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board (SLTB), Director General of SLTB, S. Kalaiselvam told the "Daily News". According to him, this arrangement to bring 100 journalists from all corners of the world including Europe and Japan is a one part of the tourism promotion plan to market Sri Lanka as a safe and attractive tourist destination notwithstanding the havoc brought by tsunami. "In the aftermath of the tsunami, on December 26, there was a 50 percent drop in tourist arrivals in the country. As we all know, we surpassed our tourist arrivals target last year to record a 550,000 arrival figure. We want to put our local tourism back on the right track. Therefore we are expecting the assistance of foreign journalists right now to boost our tourism industry", he said. According to the Director General, several leading hotels in the affected areas including the Yala Village in Yala, Light House in Galle, Taj Exotica in Bentota, Royal Palm in Kalutara, Bentota Beach Hotel, Seven Island in Trincomalee and Tristar Beach Hotel in Arugam Bay have recommenced operations. These foreign journalists will get the opportunity to visit the affected areas and will be accommodated at these same hotels, he said. Meanwhile in the aftermath of the tsunami on December 26, Ministry of Tourism and SLTB unveiled US$ 320 million "Bounce Back Sri Lanka" International Marketing and Promotion campaign by the Minister of Tourism Anura Bandaranaike along with the SLTB Chairman Udaya Nanayakkara and has recommended to develop short to long term recovery plans for 15 coastal resort towns for restoration. They are Wadduwa, Beruwala, Bentota, Hikkaduwa, Galle, Unawatuna, Koggala, Matara, Hambantota, Tangalla, Yala, Arugam Bay, Passikuddah, Nilaweli and Kalpitiya. Meanwhile the SLTB has created a website to provide information to the outside world with details of the scenario in the aftermath of tsunami in Sri Lanka covering the country's rebuilding projects, media coverage, information on the hotels function in the coastal areas and airlines. Website: Bouncebacksrilanka.org ############ Culture Club invests Rs. 15 million by Shirajiv Sirimane The Culture Club Dambulla has invested Rs. 15 million to construct six suites. The construction work would commence next month and will complete in December. According to the Manager of the hotel Srijith Gunaratne there is a demand for quality upmarket rooms and this was the main reason for them to invest. "The hotel is in the Centre of the Cultural Triangle close to Sigiriya and Dambulla. Since these two locations are heavily advertised, foreigners are keen to visit these places," he said. In addition to the suites the Connaissance management has also decided to invest on a Spa. "This too is gaining in demand," he said. He said that the tsunami did not have any negative impact on their hotel and during the last long weekend they had a 100 percent occupancy. "This has prompted us to construct a family villa consisting of four rooms," he said. The hotel with 92 chalets 11 Eco-lodges also has a Ayurvedic health centre. The Connaissance management also owns and operate the Reef in Hikkaduwa and Le Kandyan. In addition they have also invested Rs. 700 million to construct a Fortress an upmarket property in Koggala. |
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