Shangri-La Hotels to Come to Sri Lanka. Chairman Kuok Khoon-Ean Visits

15th August 2010, www.sundaytimes.lk

Asia’s famous Shangri-La Hotels wants to set up a hotel in post-war Sri Lanka with its Chairman/CEO Kuok Khoon-Ean flying here on August 19 in his private jet, officials said.

Shangri-La was founded by Khoon-Ean’s father in the early 1970s, and the Kuok family is now the largest shareholder of the hotel chain which has over 67 hotels and resorts all over the globe including North America with a combined room capacity of over 30,600. In South Asia it has properties in India and the Maldives.

Director/General Manager of Pyramid Lanka Pvt, S.A.P.Suriyapperuma, who is coordinating the visit with Khoon-Ean owning Pyramid in Singapore, said Sri Lanka is attracting high networth investors like the Hong Kong-based hotel tycoon. The latter controls many companies in Asia including the one that owns the South China Morning Post newspaper in Hong Kong.

During the visit, he is expected to meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapakse and Minister of Foreign Affairs G.L.Peiris and other senior government officials. He is also expected to visit several places in the island including Hambantota and Kandy to identify suitable sites for the hotel project, Mr. Suriyapperuma said.