Sri Lanka draws Mövenpick Hotels in management deal

Dec 13, 2010 (LBO) - The Swiss hotel chain Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has won a management agreement to operate the Mövenpick Hotel Colombo, a 180-room property in Sri Lanka, a statement said. Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, a hotel management company with over 12,000 employees, has over 90 hotels existing or under construction in 26 countries. The property, located next to Liberty Plaza in the heart of the city, will occupy half an acre in the prime downtown district, surrounded by commercial businesses, high-end residences and prestigious restaurants, it said.

The 19-floor hotel, owned by Sri Lanka's SoftLogic Holdings, expected to open by mid-2013.

Andreas Mattmüller, chief operating officer of Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, Middle East & Asia, said the company was "very excited" about opening in the island, which is seeing an influx of tourists after the end of its 30-year ethnic war in 2009.

It’s a great opportunity to expand our presence in such an emerging travel destination.

The hotel management deal was in line with the Mövenpick group's development strategy to secure projects in key Asian markets, he said.

We were keen to work with a globally r