OZO Kandy gearing up to revolutionise region - Becomes first international brand outside of Colo...

Becomes first international brand outside of Colombo

By Shanuka Tissera
With the partnership of SINO Lanka Hotels Holdings (Pvt) Limited, Kandy Hotels Co. PLC and with ONYX Hospitality Group, construction is underway on Hotel OZO in Kandy.
The ONYX Group is the largest civil engineering company in South East Asia with turnover of over $2 billion and revenue of $ 1 billion. It is the third largest in India with hotels placed in Doha, North India, Hong Kong, China and Sri Lanka.

OZO Kandy is a mid-market innovative contemporary service brand. The brand is mainly aimed at adventure travellers and business people who are looking for a fairly priced but well designed place to stay.
The hotel is to be built within the traditions of Kandy and will hold 128 guest rooms, 21 square meter rooms with standard facilities such as swimming pool, gym, Wi-Fi and room TV projectors.
Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake explained why this initiative in Kandy was needed, but focused on the visual beauty of Sri Lanka. “This is a land of culture with beautiful beaches and golden sun. We must attempt to turn all tourists into repeat customers and we can accomplish this through international levels of hospitality and care.”
“Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is growing rapidly and we intend on becoming a part of the booming opportunities ahead through new partnerships and projects such as the OZO brand expansion in Sri Lanka,” added Kandy Hotels Co PLC Chairman Sanjeev Gardiner.
From an economic point of view, it is understood that the decision to build Hotel OZO is welcomed by the community. Kandy has an abundance of character, therefore by accommodating new innovations in the tourism sector, growth outside of Colombo, in this example being Kandy, can show that expansion can be attained with a state of mind open to changes.
OZO Kandy, being the first international brand, is an extremely important milestone, with Guest of Honour Minister for Economic Development and Tourism Basil Rajapaksa present at the event.
The new hotel brand will offer a fresh take on select services for both business and leisure travellers. Exteriors that wow, interiors abuzz with activity, décor awash with local colour and well-thought-out amenities. A core component of a stay at Hotel OZO or resort will be the haven of peace within the guestroom, embodied in the OZO Promise of ‘Sleep.Dream.’
With its four brand portfolio and the capabilities of a truly international management team, ONYX offers innovative hospitality management solutions across the Indian Ocean, stemming from a solid four decade history of success. By 2018, the ONYX Group is looking to manage an additional 40 hotels and resorts.
SINO Lanka Hotels Holdings Director Stefan Furkhan and ONXY Hospitality Group Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer both shared their sense of joy for OZO Kandy to begin construction.
A vote of thanks was offered to the Sri Lankan Government and other key institutions to ensure a speedy planning route and set sail without problem. This will provide employment across the board and economic growth for Kandy. This seems to be the start of the new Kandy, with old charm, updating itself to cater for the new demand in the tourism markets with contemporary, affordable, and efficient lodging.