Tourism in Sri Lanka - Tourism Industry

Tourism Industry

The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and the past civil war have reduced tourist arrivals but Sri Lanka received over half a million tourists in 2006.

The International media reports published about the improvements in industry of January 2008 by 0.6%, March 2008 by 8.6% when comparing to last year's (2007) figures. It was reported that in the year 2011, total revenue from the tourists arrival to the country is $830.3 million from 850,000 tourists inflow. Further, the tourism board expects over 1 million tourists in 2012 with revenue of more than $1 billion.

The number of arrivals from the Meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions (MICE) sector is also growing, in particular from India. The Sri Lanka Convention Bureau is targeting a 20% growth rate for MICE arrivals from India.

Some of the major hotel development projects currently underway in Sri Lanka are listed below.

Colombo

• Shangri-La Colombo: The Hong Kong-based company recently broke ground for a 661-room tower near the storied seafront Galle Face Green in the capital. Expected to open 2015.

• The sights and scenes in Galle, an ancient town in Sri Lanka that was granted Unesco World Heritage status in the late '80s.

• Sheraton Hotels and Resorts Colombo: Starwood Hotels will make its debut with this 306-room hotel opposite Galle Face Green. Slated to open October 2013.

• Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts Colombo: The Swiss company’s entrée will be a 180-room downtown hotel. Target opening date is the middle of 2013.

• Jetwing Colombo: Local hotel group Jetwing’s project will have 70 rooms and 28 serviced apartments. Opening April 2014.

The South

• Shangri-La Hambantota: A 145-acre resort with 315 rooms in southern Hambantota district, with an 18-hole golf course, dive center, and CHI Spa. Scheduled to open in 2014.

• Avani Kalutara: The second property under the new mid-market brand by Minor Hotel Group and local partner Serendib Leisure will be opened later this year. Located an hour south of Colombo, it will have 105 rooms.

• Anantara Kalutara: A 138-room upscale resort with a spa, opening late 2013.

• Soneva Ahungalla: Bangkok-based Six Senses’ founder Sonu Shivdasani is partnering with Sri Lanka’s Aitken Spence Hotels to create an exclusive 71-villa project, occupying 10½ acres of beachfront land and the 26-acre Meeraladuwa Island, just south of Bentota. Slated for early 2014.

• Jetwing Yala Safari, Yala: The original luxury game lodge at one of the country’s best-known parks was destroyed in the 2004 tsunami. The new development will have 70 rooms and 28 villas and is expected to open in April 2013.

The East

• Jetwing Reef, Uppuveli: This 68-room property, set to open December 2013, will be among the first high-end resorts to open in the region since the war ended