Two Kalpitiya islands signed off for Rs.3.2 b

Two more islands were signed off and handed over to the respective companies in the Kalpitiya Development project yesterday. The investments are expected to cost Rs. 3.2 billion.
The two islands, Wellai and Ispanthivu, would generate direct employment to 1200 people in the area.
Work at the Wellai Island will be completed within three years at a cost of Rs. 1,500 million. A five star hotel is set to come up with 150 rooms. The Ispanthivu island development will be completed at a cost of Rs. 1,700 million, which will be a 300 room five star complex. The total cost of investment will be Rs. 400 billion.
The proposed Kalpitiya Tourism Zone is an eight-mile long strip of land in the Kalpitiya peninsula. There are eight islands ranging from one acre with the total land extent being over 3,000 square miles.
The Tourism Ministry hopes to convert the area to an up market destination with golf courses, cable cars, amusement parks and night entertainment facilities. Already released 14 islands for the project have been released.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority is hoping to create 15,000 direct employment opportunities and 50,000 indirect employment opportunities under the Kalpitiya Integrated Tourism Resort Development Project.
The Government hopes to expand infrastructure facilities such as road development, electricity, hospitals and condominiums similar to a mini city concept. The expectation is that this would attract high spending clients and the minimum room rate per night would be over US$ 400 per day.

Source:http://www.dailymirror.lk