Mt. Lavinia Hotel Group’s new COO Anura Dewapura shares vision for transformation

Mt. Lavinia Hotel Group COO Anura Dewapura 

Anura Dewapura, a seasoned hospitality professional with over four decades of experience, has recently taken on the role of Chief Operating Officer at the Mount Lavinia Hotel Group.

In this capacity, he oversees the overall profitability, operations, performance, and strategic direction of the properties and MLHC catering division. His leadership style, rooted in transformation and purpose, combined with his core values, empathy, and strategic acumen, has contributed to numerous successes in the industry, including his previous tenure at MLH from 2008-2012. 

His extensive background in managing luxury hotels and resorts positions him well to lead the crucial phase of strategic planning and development at MHL. His career spans various roles in renowned hotel chains across Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Caribbean, and North America. He returned to Sri Lanka from New York, subsequent to working in over 17 countries.

In an exclusive interview, Dewapura sheds light on his vision and strategy to build up this iconic hotel.

Below are excerpts from the interview.

By Charumini de Silva

Q: How are you settling in as the new Chief Operating Officer of the Mt. Lavinia Hotel Group? 

I joined a week ago. I'm no stranger to this place as I had a good spell from 2008 to 2012. I just came from New York, where I was running a couple of hotels. I am very excited to show what we can achieve in the Mt. Lavinia Hotel Group in this beautiful country. It is nothing like my homeland. This is the 17th country I'm working in from Australia to Asia to Europe to North America and the Caribbean. I've been to many places, but when it comes to my motherland, it means something special to my heart. No matter where I go, Mt. Lavinia Hotel has always had a special place in my heart. I love this place and I have turned down many offers from bigger companies to take this opportunity. 

The Mount Lavinia Hotel Colombo is one of Sri Lanka's oldest hotels, having been around for more than 210 years. It’s a premier colonial heritage hotel in Colombo, that has developed a reputation over the years for its exquisite architecture and ambience, the old world charm that evokes the opulence of old Ceylon, a romantic legacy left by the colonial Governor General who used it as his residence. I thoroughly appreciate its inherent ethics, spirit, character and strength. 

Our guests will be able to experience Sri Lanka’s iconic location and choose from an array of products and services. I would like to see Mt. Lavinia Hotel be known for its commitment to excellence in the hospitality industry. I have a vision of what we should do and where we should take this flagship property as it holds great historical and heritage value. My primary goal is to get it back where it should be, start to make money, take care of my team and reposition the brand to its deserved glory.

Q: What exactly did you mean by repositioning the brand? 

 I am more interested in the history which we intend to emphasise and bring up to date with the modern trends of what's going on in the hospitality industry globally. We want to strategically position ourselves among the concept to be a destination; focusing on delivering memorable holidays with the warmth and vibrancy of authentic hospitality. I feel Mt. Lavinia Hotel has an excellent opportunity to showcase Sri Lanka to the rest of the world. I see many great opportunities to develop the brand and realise its vision.

Q: Given your illustrious expertise in the industry, what is your vision and plan for 2024 going forward? 

 With my recent experience in the United States, the priority right now is to get our product and services right. From improving our products and services to enhancing the skills of our staff, we are working on many initiatives right now to ensure that the standard of the hotel is on par with international quality. Delivering high-quality hospitality and unique, unmatchable experiences to our guests and elevating the service delivery standards is a top priority. In turn, we want to convert a culture of loyal guests upholding our brand. We also wish to capture a fair share of the market. There is tough competition out there and we must be on top of things. I am practically building up the team and also working on getting fresh talent. Hospitality is in the DNA of Sri Lankans and extra effort is only needed in very few areas to improve service standards. Generally, everyone who works with me here gets a clear vision and direction of where we want to be. Without the staff, I cannot do it myself. Everybody has to be a part of the success story. We hope to bring in industry experts, chefs and culinarians from 2024 onwards. There is a good line-up from three-star Michelin chefs to well-known connoisseurs and sommeliers and so on. I am working on these areas with my team at present and it is easy for me due to my contacts around the world. The idea is to focus on food and beverage, art, culture, history and entertainment to make the hotel busy with year-round events. 

Q: What are your key objectives aimed at achieving by the end of next year? 

 Well, our aim is to see substantial growth in our turnover by the end of next year. We have a comprehensive plan in place, which includes various initiatives to drive our business forward and meet this objective. I am confident in our team's capabilities and the potential of our offerings to help us reach and even exceed this target. There are a couple of ways I might attack this situation here. One is the product with promotions and events. Secondly, we want to position this property as heritage. Differentiation is important and we must add value to products and services. These must be innovative, creative, sustainable and of excellent quality, and targeted. The customers must feel the uniqueness of the experiences. We intend to bring back the food and beverage events and festivals to make it a new destination. We have a huge variety of products in this unique property, which is the only hotel in Colombo where you find the beach and ocean waves 360 degrees off the terrace. The goal is to maximise and set up those sites to boost our business, that include beach and water sports activities. 

Q: Challenges come with opportunities. How do you see it? 

 I think the major challenge around the world is to retain talent; it is not unique to Sri Lanka. The brain drain or the skill migration is a mega challenge, particularly in our industry, which is a people-oriented sector. Most of them are wondering when everybody is trying to go overseas. Sri Lankan talent is unique because they have the right mindset to deliver high-quality hospitality. This is also the reason why the best of Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry talent is hired by the world’s best hotel chains. However, I am working very hard to retain the team and get them motivated. Knowledge always makes you confident and helps you stand out from the rest. Therefore, training in all departments makes you an all-rounder, which helps in shaping future leaders. As industry leaders, we need to remember that human touch is critical in the hospitality industry. I am ready for the challenge; otherwise, I would not have taken this job. However, a lot of people would raise their eyebrows and ask why? I left a very good job to come here and serve my country. I will do my best to reposition this beautiful property. 

In terms of opportunities, we have a different product. It is all about thinking creatively and delivering the most unique experiences beyond the guests’ expectations. I have worked at several international chain hotels, but Mt. Lavinia Hotel is not one of them. We are unique in our own way. In the modern day, the young generations are not looking for these big brands, but are more inquisitive about unique applications of places and authentic experiences. We are quite capable and will deliver products and services to cater to all segments of customers at our hotel. Culture and history would play a big role, along with good food and beverages with authentic cuisine. In addition, customised service with a touch of Sri Lankan hospitality would lift it to a new level. It is important to fully understand the requirements of the guests and what they can do to go beyond their comfort zones to create unforgettable experiences. The industry should also feel confident about what Sri Lanka has to offer the world, not only as a tourist destination but as a key sector contributing to the national economy. There's so much that the iconic Mt. Lavinia Hotel can promote and offer. We will give tough competition to all players in Colombo. The chain hotels have their market share, but once we set up, I think Mt. Lavinia Hotel will be unique with a lot of authentic experiences and stories around its history and culture. 

Q: You spoke of talent retaining. How do you plan to deal with it and empower them? 

 The International Hotel School is back with veteran Dr. Chandana Jayawardena (Chandi) heading it. The International Hotel School of Mount Lavinia Hotel is the oldest private school in Sri Lanka and has a history of over three decades. It is the only hotel school linked to a premier hotel in Sri Lanka, the Mount Lavinia Hotel. This is a brilliant opportunity for students and the industry to get trained skills. 

Being part of a team means understanding their needs and strengths. It is important to create a healthy relationship with all the associates because I firmly believe that if they remain happy and satisfied, the organisation will thrive. There are a few components around that we are working on, including good pay and restructuring of all benefits. I hope that over time the industry’s remuneration gap would be reduced to be on par with some of the competing destinations. Tackling issues and increasingly offering cohesive and collective training to staff helps to achieve the right attitude and deliver great service. I am really excited about what is in store for the Mt. Lavinia Hotel Group. I am a firm believer that it is more attentiveness and passion that drive talent to greater heights. Talent management is to improve diversity, particularly by enhancing the participation of women in the workforce via measures of empowerment, as well as working on identifying and educating about unconscious gender bias. The social stigma of the hotel trade can be eliminated only through continuous awareness programs to encourage young ladies to choose this career path. I have faith in my team to lead great initiatives from 2024 onwards.

Q: As a tourist destination, what are the macro challenges for Sri Lanka?

 As per my observations, we did not have a focus on policy consistency. It has seen changes every time a regime changes. At the end of the day, it will all boil down to how creatively and convincingly we narrate the story to attract tourists to Sri Lanka. I think we have to look at qualified people who are willing to revamp the tourism industry. When I was travelling to Sri Lanka, my flight came via the Maldives. It was heartbreaking to see 90% of the flight alighting there. Sadly, people in top positions still have not fully realised the gravity of it. It is also critical to create an attitude towards the tourism industry. We have genuine hospitality in our DNA. Thus, we need to create awareness about the importance of the tourism industry to our communities and its economic benefits. I firmly believe Sri Lanka with its diverse group of talents, experience, and resources can undoubtedly be the next vibrant tourist destination.

Q: What is your message to travellers planning to visit Sri Lanka? 

 Sri Lanka is an exceptional tourist destination ready to welcome the world with open arms. If tourists do not come, they will miss out because Sri Lanka has so much to offer as an island nation blessed with natural resources. An individual may feel the warmth and connection between a visitor and the Sri Lankan people throughout the entire stay, which is vibrant. I cannot think of any excuse not to travel to this stunning country. I extend a warm invitation to the world to visit Sri Lanka and experience exceptional hospitality waiting to cater to every segment of travellers.

Pix by Sameera Wijesinghe