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Tourism recovery in full swing -SLTB chairman
Monday, 20 June 2005 - 1:53 AM SL Time
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The Sri Lanka Tourist Board (SLTB) claims the country's bounce-back from the tsunami is powering ahead with occupancy levels in both city and regional hotels rising, the travelbiz.com reported.
The report quoting SLTB chairman, Udaya Nanayakkara, said the optimistic reports from some of the island's hotels were encouraging.
`The fact that Sri Lankan hotels - just five months after the December 26 tsunami ' are reporting increasing occupancy levels and a positive outlook for the coming months, is a good sign for the future,` Nanayakkara said.
In the capital, Colombo, occupancy at the Colombo Plaza and Trans Asia hotels was claimed to be between 70 and 80 per cent - in line with occupancy levels at the same time last year. The Hilton Colombo was also upbeat, claiming 80 per cent average occupancy.
The SLTB said overseas visitors ' in particular from the UK and France ' represented a major contribution to the high occupancy rates, having taken advantage of special fares offered in their markets.
The Trans Asia Hotel recently completed the first phase of its refurbishment program with an investment of LKR200 million ($2.62 million) including the renovation of 95 rooms. It is also planning to construct a spa to international standards.
Although the town of Galle was affected by the tsunami, the World Heritage-listed Fort area was protected by the ramparts and suffered minimal damage.
Hotels within the Fort, such as Amangalla and the Galle Fort Hotel, also claimed strong occupancies and forward bookings. Both were included in the US-based Conde Nast Traveller magazine's Hot List 2005.
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