'The Secret' to successful tourism branding

by Chandani Jayatilleke

The Abeyrathne family from Halpe in the Uva province has created two successful tourism brands - 'The Secret' chain of boutique hotels and 98 Acres Mountain Resort - over the past five years.

The Secret chain runs three successful hotels, The Secret, Ella, The Secret, Yala and The Secret, Kandy. All three hotels are set in distinct locations and provide luxurious accommodation and fine cuisine, making it a total travel experience to the discerning traveller.

'The Secret' hotel brand is the brainchild of the three sons of the Abeyrathne family - the owners of tea plantations of Halpe.

They are Head of Halpe Tea and Director Marketing, UHE Group, Eranda Abeyrathne, Director Administration, UHE Group, Chamara Abeyrathne and Director Finance, UHE Group, Ranga Abeyrathne.

One of their hotels, The Secret Kandy, on Lady Gorden's Drive in Kandy is a 'Luxury Governors Resort'. According to the latest tripadvisor ratings, The Secret Kandy has received five out of five stars, bringing it to the top of the list of best hotels in the city.

It has also been ranked under the top 25 romantic hotels in Sri Lanka by tripadvisor travellers' choice awards.

The Secret chain

We caught up with Chamara Abeyrathne to find out about the secrets behind their 'Secret' chain of hotels. He said the objective behind The Secret chain is to provide exceptional luxury boutique experience to guests visiting top tourism spots around the country.

"Each of our hotels has its own distinctive charm and style with excellent dining options. Our properties are full of inspiring architecture, elegant decor, luxurious guest rooms and friendly service. For instance, the Secret Kandy is a 100-year old Governor's bungalow (the home of the renowned philosopher Siddi Lebbe).

The Secret Ella is a luxury planter's resort and at The Secret Yala, you'll find luxury accommodation amidst the wilderness," says Chamara.

Privacy

Unlike in the past, tourism is an ever-changing experience now. There are lots of travellers who want privacy and luxury at the same time, irrespective of the location."For instance, they might want convenience and modern facilities with lots of privacy even if they are spending time in the wilderness. We are aware of these specific needs and have created products that appeal to these needs such as The Secret Yala," said Chamara.

He said, The Secret Kandy property was owned by a family friend who was busy with his professional work. "He approached us with a business idea as he had seen our progress with the 98 Acres Resort. He had a lot of confidence in us and allowed us to refurbish the worn-out buildings and create a boutique resort that offers world-class facilities," said Chamara.

Boutique expansion

This business initiative came at a time when the Abeyrathne family was considering the idea of setting up a chain of boutique hotels. "We knew that Kandy was a prime location for local and foreign tourists. There are lots of reasons for tourists to visit the city throughout the year. The Perahera time is phenomenal. On the other hand the property comes with a grand history. From our point of view, it was a total package which worked well for all of us," he said.

Since the opening of the hotel, just one and a half years ago, The Secret Kandy has received good reviews. "We are impressed by the response so far. It is very encouraging," said Chamara.

He attributes the success of The Secret chain to personalised service, convenient location, distinctive charm and style with loads of dining options. Chamara said they would love to expand their chain of hotels to a few other key cities. "We are currently looking at properties in Nuwara Eliya and some areas of the Southern province."

Chamara's family first entered the tourism industry, with the launch of the 98 Acres Resort in Ella.

"Looking back we believe it was a bold decision of diversification. Ceylon Tea is our family business and we own tea plantations. Naturally, we wanted to build a hotel amidst a tea plantation. That was the beginning of 98 Acres. Visitors to 98 Acres often tell us that it is one of the best mountain hotels they have seen in the world. Last year we won the award for the best mountain hotel in the world at the Asia Pacific Hotel Awards in Hong Kong," he said.

Sri Lanka tourism

Talking about the country's tourism potential, Chamara said Sri Lanka is becoming a preferred destination among global travellers and their company is ready to change and expand with the needs of such travellers.

"But I believe as a country we need to have a proper vision for the industry and develop it as a sustainable business. We also love to see the increase in the per-head spending of tourists together with the increased numbers of arrivals. Basically, Sri Lanka should be the next 5-star destinations in the global tourism map," he said adding, "We also plan to do aggressive marketing in the Middle East this year by participating in the Arab Travel Mart next month."