First resorts of Kalpitiya ready by 2013

Three luxury resorts under phase one of the Kalpitiya Integrated Tourism Resort Programme will be ready by 2013, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority officials said.


Phase one of the project, which put out four islands out of the 14 identified for bids, has been successfully leased out for a period of 30 years. The three islands are Vellai I, Vellai II and Ippantivu with a land extent of 1.55 ha, 10.80 ha and 76.88ha respectively. A total investment of Rs. 5.6 billion will be put forward for the three projects.

Additional Project Manager of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Tissa Sooriyagoda yesterday said that out of eight approved projects, the above mentioned resorts take centrestage in the Kalpitiya Development Project.

“These three are the large scale projects for which we have given approval. All resorts would be five stars and above and would have 550 rooms overall,” Sooriyagoda said.

It was revealed that the resort construction and management of the three had been undertaken by organisations from Bahrain, India and a joint one by Maldives and Switzerland.

Bahrain and Indian companies will set up two 200 room resorts worth of Rs. 1.7 billion and the joint partnership would build a 150 room resort worth of Rs. 1.2 billion.

“All resorts in the Kalpitiya islands will be five star hotels as there is no definition of a six star hotel according to the World Trade Organisation. All three projects have a Sri Lankan partner as well and are currently awaiting the environmental screening process under the Ministry.”

Construction will kick-start next year and the ‘Dutch Bay Resort’ undertaken by Six Sense Group is set to have a soft opening on 11 November 2011. Sooriyagoda acknowledged that a minimum of three years was needed to construct a 200 room resort.

He also observed that Phase 2 of the project would start at the end of the month with six islands put up for bids.

“We are expecting luxury resorts in all islands and a proper investment expectation from each island cannot be stated right now. The project is one of the Government’s priority projects and we are doing what we can to fast-track the construction and launch of these resorts to comply with the demand for additional rooms.”

A total of 37, 500 people will receive employment opportunities after the completion of all projects. This includes 15,000 direct and 22,500 indirect employment opportunities.

Source:http://www.dailymirror.lk/print/index.php/business/127-local/11014.html