Hoteliers optimistice of high spenders to Sri Lanka

By Mahes PERERA

It is a well-known fact that as General Manager of the five star Galadari Hotel Sampath Siriwardena “maintains a well-honed ability to evaluate operational needs and implement strategies with profitable results.” That is the stern business side of his nature.

On the other side of the coin he is endowed with a sparkling sense of humour that will keep you entertained for long hours. What’s more, when the mood hits him, he can entertain you with a song which makes you wonder whether he is in the wrong trade.

With 30 years of valuable experience behind him in the hospitality trade, Sampath Siriwardena was appointed as the General Manager of the Galadari Hotel in December 2003. This was a promotion for him from the position of Resident Manager of the Hotel where he was given the task of “delivering quality improvement and recording profit growth.” It was a challenge which he was not going to let slip through his fingers. He faced the task head on and within a mere three years as General Manager he commenced several projects to achieve a turnaround the hotel needed to face a demanding and expanding market. The refurbishing and development of 500 rooms, additional restaurants and a new ballroom plus programs for the staff to achieve higher efficiency and productivity resulted in the success he targeted.

The post civil war period has seen a change for the better in tourist activities in Sri Lanka how beneficial has it been for your hotel?

“Last year we experienced an increase in tourist arrivals. Sri Lanka was an ideal destination after the war. Internationally the country was spotlighted in the Travel magazines, Geographical magazines etc. and tourists started coming in their numbers. This year there is a slow growth in occupancy but from December 22 arrivals are expected to pick up. They will be coming in from Europe, India, UK and Australia. From Australia a large number of Sri Lankans have booked rooms for the season. For our New Year’s Eve Dance we have 220 confirmed bookings from Melbourne. Last year the New Year’s Eve dance was a sell out, with music by the band Mirage.

This year too it’s going to be a 100 percent sell out. We are having the featured singers Sandra and Esrick Jackson of Re-play who are coming from Melbourne. Mirage will once again be the band, that will be providing the music on that night.”

How have you geared for the increased arrivals you are expecting?

“Our refurbishing is an ongoing process. This year we completed three floors, refurbished the Coffee Shop and launched the Indian restaurant Flavours. We will be starting another floor in January and we have overcome our car parking problem with the establishment of a link between the World Trade Centre and the hotel. This is a huge advantage for us.”

Shangrila is in the capital city near the other five star hotels - do you look upon it as a threat?

“No. It is a challenge for us and a good thing for Sri Lanka, a huge plus. It will add value to our country and Sri Lanka will be easy to market. It is important to think positive. We have to raise the bar two or three levels to attract the high spending tourists. Sheraton coming in, is also a brilliant idea. Our main concern however, is the staff. We have to have highly trained staff to meet the needs of the tourists. We may have to send them overseas for training. At present I have eleven recruits for training as stewards, room boys and for house keeping.

I have given them a house to live in and organised English classes for them.

In the early years in 75 a job in the hospitality trade was a glamour job. Then the Airlines and Banks moved in and shift work in hotels began to lose its glamour.”

The Galadari Hotel is in the hub of the exciting Night Races program. What’s your comment?

“We need to promote Sri Lanka not only in the cultural, beach and hill country areas but also in sports - such as motor races, surfing, ballooning which has become popular in Sigiriya. The beginning of Night Races is unique and is bound to attract tourists from neighbouring countries. The event will bring a lot of glamour and along with it, reservations in hotels. “I congratulate the organisers who started the venture and I understand that this will be an annual event.

The transformation of the old Dutch Hospital opposite the World Trade Centre, into an elegant shopping and food complex is another venture that has to be applauded. This will help the tourists to walk down to the complex and shop from any of the nearby hotels they have checked in.

Also, I’m fully agreeable for the Electric Peacock event which will be held at the Lighthouse.”

Enthusiastic and innovative, Sampath Siriwardena commenced his career in hospitality in March 1975 as a Receptionist at the then Lanka Oberoi, Colombo and rose to the position of Front Office Manager in 1987 before he moved over to the Hilton Hotel Colombo to take up the appointment as Front Office Manager. At the Hilton he moved up the ladder and was Rooms Division Manager by July 2003.

Thereafter, he decided to take up the appointment of Resident Manager Galadari Hotel, Colombo as recruited by the Management of Galadari Brothers (Dubai).

He enjoyed his professional development at Cornell National University, Singapore, subsequently at the Hilton Career Development Institute in Wembley, United Kingdom and at the Oberoi School of Hotel Management, India.

He was awarded a scholarship to Japan by the Government of Sri Lanka and worked at Hotel Yokohama for a period of four months.A committed General Manager with positive thoughts, Sampath Siriwardena is confident that “in another two years I foresee the high spending tourists coming into Sri Lanka. The signs are there for us and we have to be prepared for the influx.

The Japanese too would I’m sure make their tracks to our country. Now it’s left to us to create the aura to entice them to visit Sri Lanka more often.”