Thu, 02 September 2010  21:45:01
Hotel Venture 7 Comment(s)
21 Jul, 2010 18:12:13
SriLankan Airlines plans airport hotel
July 21, 2010 (LBO) - SriLankan Airlines is to build a tourist hotel near the island's main international airport at Katunayake north of Colombo, the airline's chairman Nishantha Wickremasinghe said.
"We are about to start building an airport hotel right in front of the departure lounge,' he said.

The site is an abandoned factory at an export processing zone near the airport that has been handed over to the national airline.

Wickremasinghe said the planned hotel would have at least 125 rooms.

Sri Lanka's is seeing a tourism boom with the end of its 30-year ethnic war in May 2009 which resulted in an immediate upturn in arrivals.

The island is facing a shortage of room to house the anticipated influx of visitors and many hotel companies are expanding and new hotels planned.

Wickremasinghe said SriLankan Airlines itself is expanding its fleet, having taken delivery of a new Airbus aircraft Tuesday as part of a plan to double the fleet and add new destinations.
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READER COMMENT(S)
7. Observer Jul 22
Its OK to start a new venture, when SriLankan can stand on its own feet and not dependent on govt subsidies and bailouts.

There is no point diversifying an already loss making business no matter how good the business plan is.

However, we should encourage such ventures but not with the guarantee of state funding when they run aground.

6. malkanthi Jul 22
Good idea, should have hotels where accommodation is not available as UL is usually late.
5. Vertical Integration Jul 22
No no. Do not imitate Dubai and put passengers in other people's hotels. Chee. We need a home grown solution like this. Build the hotel. Operate the taxi to go the hotel also.

Build the taxi or assemble it here by bringing the parts duty free if possible. Assemble the plane also. If possible build the plane.

Don't buy the food for the catering business. Grow the food. Grow the chicken also. You can sell the chicken to other hotels.

4. Bindu Hewa Ananda Jul 22
I fully agree with Captain Ratnayake, look at how Emirates operate, all the hotels are just 15 minutes drive to Dubai Airport, The Hotel Sri Lankan are planning should have the capacity to accommodate at least one full aircraft in case of a delay. Best solution is to send a panel of experts to places like Dubai ( I do know very well as I was living there for 20 years and just returned ) , Singapore so that they can implement what the others have succeded.
3. EconoCautious Jul 21
An airline to run a hotel?
It is like a university running a meat shop or a central bank to run a guest house.

When will the Sri Lankan learn of sound business?

2. captain milinda ratnayake Jul 21
125 ROOMS ! when a A340 carries 300 pax not enough to house a load if a flight is delayed.

you should build one for around 500 rooms not directly at the airport but in the vicinity which can support the airlines needs as well as other clients.thats how you cater for an expansion..........

1. Rohan Samarajiva Jul 21
Isn't this surreal? This company lost more money last year than the government spends on Samurdhi. Yet it wants to build a hotel?

Whose money are they spending? Why doesn't Mr Wickremesinghe first get the company back in the black. Then he can start investing in new ventures.