JKH announces December opening of Rs. 4.8 b Cinnamon Bentota at WTM

By Nisthar Cassim in London

Premier blue chip John Keells Holdings (JKH) this week at the ongoing World Travel Market (WTM) expo in London announced the opening of Cinnamon Bentota Beach next month following an investment of Rs. 4.8 billion.

The group also announced to the travel trade and media attending the WTM the launch of Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives, the 15th property under JKH’s flagship resort brand.

“The launch of the revamped Bentota property in the second week of December is the first major five star resort opening since the Easter Sunday tragedy,” John Keells Group Vice President, Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts Head of Brand Marketing and Cinnamon Life Mall CEO Dileep Mudadeniya told the Daily FT on the sidelines of WTM 2019 in London.

Cinnamon Bentota Beach is the refurbished former Bentota Beach Hotel, a property which was originally designed by world-renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa. The new resort, designed by Channa Daswatte, retains the building’s original architecture, heritage and culture while adding a fresh dimension of luxury. The new hotel also includes a Bawa Museum, which holds some of the most unique and original pieces created by the famed architect.

The five star resort, constructed across 11 acres of land on Bentota Beach, has 159 rooms.

As part of its concerted efforts to step up engagement with international media, Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts on Sunday partnered the British Guild of Travel Writers Annual Awards and Dinner at the Savoy Hotel in London ahead of WTM. At the event, attended by 300 British journalists, Cinnamon offered an all-expenses-paid seven-day holiday in Sri Lanka for one of the lucky writers.

The latest Maldivian property opened last month is a five star comprising suites, water bungalows, villas and family accommodation and houses 90 rooms.

Cinnamon currently has over 2,400 keys in its inventory and will be strengthened with its pipeline of investments with the addition of 159 rooms in Bentota, 210 rooms in Kandy and the much-awaited 800-room hotel at Cinnamon Life.

Cinnamon has its own stall at the WTM and Mudadeniya said visibility for Sri Lanka at the 2019 event had been good after the country had secured Premier Partner status at the event but stressed greater effort was needed for destination marketing.

“The industry is seeing signs of recovery since the Easter Sunday setback and Sri Lanka is likely to finish the calendar year of 2019 with around 20% lower arrivals. Forward bookings for the rest of the 2019/20 winter season are almost the same as last year but the rates are very low,” Mudadeniya told the Daily FT.

He added that in order to enhance yield as well as the numbers there is a need for a proper and continuous global consumer promotion and marketing drive for credible recovery following the Easter Sunday tragedy.

At the ongoing WTM 2019, Sri Lanka is putting forth its best effort to woo UK and European travel trade interest. Around 70 companies and 150 representatives are present, highlighting the country’s resilience and revival at the Sri Lanka Pavilion of the WTM, which is set to draw 50,000 trade visitors.

With over 250,000 arrivals recorded in 2018, the UK is the largest European source market and currently the second largest overall for Sri Lanka tourism. In the first nine months of this year, arrivals from the UK dipped by 18.5% to 153,000. However, the industry is hopeful of a pickup with the concerted promotion at the WTM this week as well as the English cricket team’s tour of the island in March next year.