International tenders to be called for Kalpitiya tourism project

Lumbini Edirisinghe

International tenders will be called in two months from foreign entrepreneurs to invest in the proposed Kalpitiya Integrated Tourism Resort Development Project (KITRDP) in the Puttalam district, along the north western coast of the country.

The total cost of investment will be Rs. 400 billion. The proposed Kalpitiya Tourism Zone is an eight-mile long strip of land in the Kalpitiya peninsula. "There are eight islands ranging from one acre with the total land extent being over 3,000 square miles.

Kalpitiya was a dream of the tourism industry and it would take a further two years for the first hotel to be opened

The Ministry of Tourism hopes to convert the area to an up market destination with golf courses, cable cars, amusement parks and night entertainment facilities," said Director General Sri Lanka Tourism, S. Kalaiselvam. He said that the Authority has already released 14 islands for the project.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority is hoping to create 15,000 direct employment opportunities and 50,000 indirect employment opportunities under the the Kalpitiya Integrated Tourism Resort Development Project.

The chain of hotels with a total capacity of 400 rooms will be developed by the Authority.

The Government hopes to expand infrastructure facilities such as road development, electricity, hospitals and condominiums similar to a mini city concept.

He also said that Kalpitiya was a dream of the tourism industry and it would take a further two years for the first hotel to be opened. "We expect this would attract high spending clients and the minimum room rate per night would be over US $ 400 per day," he said. The current average spending of a tourist is less than US $ 70.

The Wilpattu National Park is expected to be opened this year and this unspoilt wildlife national park would add value to Kalpitiya as a destination due to its close proximity location.

The total revenue generated from the industry last year was around US $ 380 million. This was from 438,000 arrivals with India bringing in the highest number. This year with peace on the horizon revenue is expected to top the US $ 400 million mark.

"Six-hundred new rooms were added last year despite a lean patch the country went through," he said.

Despite the global downturn the Board of Investment (BOI) had signed new agreements to build star-class hotels this year. "This also includes investments in the North East as well," he said.

"Some local investors too have shown an interest in investing in the Kalpitiya Integrated Tourism Resort Development Project," said an official of Sri Lanka Tourism.

The Tourism Authority is also looking at a similar project at Dedduwa in Bentota. In addition the Trincomalee area will also be developed as an up market tourist destination.

 

 

 

International tenders to be called for Kalpitiya tourism project
Ceylon Daily News - Ceylon,Sri Lanka
International tenders will be called in two months from foreign entrepreneurs to invest in the proposed Kalpitiya Integrated Tourism Resort Development ...