Tilko Jaffna City Hotel is looking to build a city hotel in Colombo and have expanded their foot print in Jaffna as well with three new hotels.The company which has interests in London is also looking at acquiring a travel company.
Tilko Managing Director Thilak T. Thilagaraj speaking to Daily News Business said with the increasing number of local and foreign travellers to Jaffna they bought two bungalows and converted them to hotels in Jaffna.
“The Park View Hotel offers 10 rooms while Fortway hotel has seven rooms and these are created mainly to accommodate budget travellers.”
He said in addition they would add 40 more rooms to Tilko Jaffna City Hotel this year. “We are also in the look out for a good operator to introduce a spa which will be a first for Jaffna. A karaoke bar is also on the cards which will also be another first for the region.”
The second expansion they plan is to their beach front property Charty Beach in Jaffna. “Here we are looking at adding ten more rooms.” Thilak said that he together with his wife, co-investor, Kohila, will also invest to convert the existing Katunayake Airport hotel to convert it to a city hotel. “We are planning to add another 20 rooms and a swimming pool and other facilities to elevate it to a three star status.”
“We also have a land in Balangoda and hope to build a ten roomed eco lodge there by end of the year.” Total investment for these investments will exceed Rs. 600 million. One of the biggest plans of the company this year it to create their own travel and tours arm and for this purpose they hope to acquire Experior Travels in Colombo 3.
“We have successfully negotiated to buy a 60% stake and willsign the agreement in February. We are pondering if we should re brand it.”
He said that they will then launch a mega overseas marketing campaign starting with the ITB World Travel Fair starting in Berlin in March.
Commenting on their London operations Kohila Thilagaraj said that they currently have 45 single, double and family styled apartments they rent out from a daily basis to long term basis. “This is very popular among tourists as well people who are working and trying to settle down in London.”
She said that they will buy six more apartments by the end of this year. “Through the new travel arm we will also market all these properties enabling even Sri Lankans to book before they travel to London.” (See also page v)
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