Centara Hotels & Resorts opened Centara Passikudah Resort & Spa Sri Lanka in April and has two more hotels in the pipeline for Sri Lanka .
SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka ’ s economic growth rate is less than it was two years ago , and while its tourism arrivals — largely from India , the United Kingdom and Germany — continue to increase , the rate is also less than two years ago , according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority ’ s figures for January through August .
The country ’ s creation of a minimum-rate rule for hotels in its capital city , Colombo , may be dragging down performance there . “ US $ 150 is the minimum for what is classified locally as a 5-star , but if the market were allowed to dictate the rate , it would not be at that level ,” says Robert Hecker , managing director at Horwath HTL ’ s Singapore office .
Nevertheless , both international hotel brands and local players are expanding in Sri Lanka . Marriott International is set to enter the market after signing a management deal with local developer East West Properties for the 200-room
Weligama Bay Marriott Resort & Spa , set to open in 2014 . Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide will open the 306- room Sheraton Colombo in October 2014 . Onyx has three hotels under its midscale Ozo Hotels brand under development in Colombo , Kandy and Galle . Centara opened the 126-room Centara Passikudah Resort & Spa Sri Lanka in April and has two other resorts in its pipeline . Shangri-La has two hotels in the pipeline , one in Colombo and another in Hambantota .
68 HOTELS November 2013 www . hotelsmag . com