Mövenpick Hotels moves to SL

Tuesday, 14 December 2010 00:09 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Swiss hotel chain Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is the latest in a string of hospitality companies interested in moving to Sri Lanka. It has partnered with SoftLogic Holdings to establish a 180-room hotel at an investment of US$ 25-30 million for business travellers.

SoftLogic Holdings Chairman Ashok Pathirage told Daily FT that they were very upbeat about the opportunity, which would cater exclusively to business travellers.

“We hope to concentrate on business travellers and cater to their needs by establishing a world class hotel with all facilities they would require in mind.”

The company also bought the Sea Sands Hotel after it was divested by the Ceylinco Group to repay Golden Key depositors. However, Pathirage noted that the company does not have more expansion plans into the hospitality sector for the foreseeable future.

The company releasing a statement noted that they would operate a 180-room Mövenpick Hotel in Colombo. The property is located next to Liberty Plaza in the heart of the city.

It will occupy half an acre in the prime downtown district, surrounded by commercial businesses, high-end residences and prestigious restaurants, according to the statement. The 19-floor hotel, owned by Sri Lanka’s SoftLogic Holdings is expected to open by mid-2013.

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Middle East and Asia Andreas Mattmüller remarked that the company was “very excited” about their entry to Sri Lanka that is seeing an upsurge in tourists after the end of the three-decade conflict. “It’s a great opportunity to expand our presence in such an emerging travel destination,” he noted in the statement.

The hotel management deal was in line with the Mövenpick Group’s development strategy to secure projects in key Asian markets.

“We were keen to work with a globally recognised brand and Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts meets our criteria perfectly,” asserted Pathirage.

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, a hotel management company with over 12,000 employees, has over 90 hotels existing or under construction in 26 countries. It expects to open hotels in several countries in 2011 including Egypt, United Arab Emirates, India, Ghana, Turkey, Singapore and Thailand.

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