lankan expatriates fund wellness resort

By Sanjeevi Jayasuriya

Santani, a wellness resort that will broaden the horizons of Sri Lanka tourism will begin operations in November in Werapitiya, Kandy.

The 50-roomed resort on 48 acres of land, will be built with an investment of US $ 3.5 for the first phase which will have 20 rooms. It is being funded by few Sri Lankan expatriates.

"Wellness is the starting spectrum of the process where nutrition, detoxing, tension reduction, yoga and healthy life styles are pillars. Wellness goes with sustainability and it is the care that is given in maintaining one's body that will enable healthy living," Santani Chief Executive Officer and Director, MAK Alliance, Vickum Nawagamuwage said.

"Sri Lanka holds a comparative advantage in the market because we have much to offer with Buddhist culture, which predominantly signifies mindfulness, tranquil environment amidst lush greenery and also ayurvedic heritage. MAK Alliance identified the unfulfilled opportunity in the Sri Lankan wellness tourism segment, which culminated in the creation of Santani," he said.

Countries such as Thailand, Bali and India in the Asian region have identified the potential of wellness tourism and have created products focusing on this segment. Santani's emphasis will be on mindfulness and rejuvenation and will target high spending tourists and busy executives who seek mindful retreats for revitalisation.

Santani is an endeavour of Dumbara Hotels, a company of the MAK Alliance Group. MAK Alliance is a group of companies which introduces new concepts to the country as a form of investment.

Wellness tourism is the fastest growing segment in the tourism industry worldwide, showcasing a growth rate of 12 percent per annum compared to a seven percent growth for the whole tourism industry.

It represents the future of not only the tourism industry, but also the healthcare industry, which is currently experiencing a paradigm shift from curative treatment to preventive care.

Accordingly, the concept of wellness constitutes a holistic approach that focuses on the harmony of physical, mental and spiritual aspects of a human being to prevent illnesses.

Wellness tourism, a US $D 110 billion market, is predicted to undergo exponential growth owing to the changing market focus. Santani will exploit emerging market opportunities in wellness tourism, enhancing Sri Lanka's product portfolio in the industry and create awareness on the vitality of human sustainability.

Having identified the gap in the Sri Lankan market for a full-fledged wellness resort destination catering to the 'mindfu'l traveller segment, the introduction of Santani is a timely measure that will take Sri Lankan tourism to the next level.

"Owing to the advancement of technology, today, we live in a world of seamless connectivity. While this has many benefits, it has also taken away the much needed emotional break at the end of a working day.

There is a great imbalance in people's lives where work has asserted its dominance over all other aspects of life. We believe it is time to change that and revitalise ourselves and balance our lives in a fun way," Nawagamuwage said.

The programs offered by the resort, having durations of seven to 21 days, are inclusive of components such as yoga, meditation, physical fitness, multiple types of massages, cleansing diets, excursions to explore the breathtaking surroundings in Kandy region and lifestyle workshops that will drive you towards achieving mindfulness and rejuvenation. Santani will also have the first ever hydrotherapy facility in the country.