Laugfs to add 398 hotel rooms

Laugfs Holdings will open a luxury hotel in Bangadeniya, Chilaw shortly, company sources said. “We are hoping to add around 398 hotel rooms by the end of 2014 under the Ananthaya branded chain”, he said. The chain comprises a 75-room hotel in Sigiriya, a 125-room hotel in Waskaduwa, a 110-room hotel in Passikudah and a 88-room hotel in Chilaw. “We hope to launch our hotel in Chilaw soon and build a hotel in Waskaduwa shortly,” the sources said. He said the company will invest around nine billion rupees on the project.

Laugfs Leisure Ltd acquired a 15-acre block in Waskaduwa with a 500 metre beach front. A range of designs have been submitted by foreign architects. Architectural designs were also being prepared for the Passikudah property. The number of tourists arrivals has been on a upward spiral since mid 2009. Sri Lanka Tourism anticipates around one million visitors to the country by the end of this year, up 22 percent from last year.

Sri Lanka Tourism is gearing up with the infrastructure and service standards to meet the 2.5 million tourist arrival target by 2016. Tourism officials are targeting around 45,000 rooms to meet the target.

- LF