More hotels to re-open in Sri Lanka
A further ten hotels in Sri Lanka damaged by the Boxing Day tsunami will re-open by the beginning of the winter season in November, tourist officials have said.
It will leave only seven of the 48 damaged properties still out of action as the island attempts to restore consumer confidence.
Sri Lanka Tourist Board chairman Udaya Nanayakkara predicted the growth in visitor numbers will hit double figures by the time of World Travel Market in November.
“It was a tragic year for us in 2004 but tourism is an extremely resilient industry and we are working hard to ensure that the buoyancy experienced up until the final days of last year will return in the shortest possible time,” he said.
Nanayakkara said its presence at World Travel Market will play a key role in Sri Lanka’s turnaround.
The most recent of the upmarket properties to announce its re-opening was the Apa Villa at Thalpe Beach which is scheduled to welcome back tourists on October 1.
Saffrons Beach Villa, a new four-suite luxury property at Habaradua, will also open on December 1 while construction has began on the Hyatt Regency Colombo with a planned opening date of December 2008.
Report by Steve Jones
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Skyscanner reveals major travel trends 2026 at ITB Asia
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements