Sri Lanka okays foreign investment for two resorts in Kalpitiya

July 09, 2010 (LBO) - Sri Lanka has approved two resorts by foreign investors in a new tourism development area in Kalpitiya on the north-west coast that opened up for investment with the end of a war, a tourism official said.





Tourism is booming in the island after a 30-year ethnic war ended in May 2009 which immediately led to a sharp increase in the number of tourists.



Tissa Sooriyagoda, project director at the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, said a total of 5,000 acres are available for development at Kalpitiya.

"In the first phase we've selected two international companies to build 450 five-star rooms spread over 200 acres,' he told LBO.

Qube Lanka Leisure, owned by an Indian firm, will 200 beach villas with an investment of 16.8 million US dollars while Sun Resorts, a Maldivian firm, will build 150 water bungalows at a cost of 1.

2 billion rupees.

"The resorts will be built as 'green resorts' with buildings designed for sustainable water use and conservation, and using renewable energy like wind and solar power," Sooriyagoda said.