Sri Lanka as a Health Tourism Destination, New Hospital in Kandy, Ashok Pathirage of Softlogic Explores Potential

07th February 2011, www.dailynews.lk, By Sanjeevi Jayasuriya

Sri Lanka has a well developed healthcare sector and the country should promote health tourism where there is a huge potential in the international market.

The country’s medical sector is highly qualified and is capable of providing specialized treatment. Sri Lanka could be promoted as a health tourism destination with the expected influx of tourists, Softlogic Holdings Chairman Ashok Pathirage told Daily News Business.

“We could offer specialized services as the country has international standard hospitals and medical staff. Not only ayurveda treatment but western medication could be provided for the foreigners thereby earning foreign exchange,” he said. The focus should be to become a treatment centre similar to services offered by Singapore.

The authorities should encourage modern private healthcare institutions to attract foreign patients. The sector needs incentives to upgrade its hospitals to be on par with international standards.

More people patronize the private healthcare sector at present as it has become affordable to them. One of the main reasons for the increased use of private hospitals is most of the users have medical insurance.

There should be insurance covers to reach a wider cross section of the society as the country will have a large elderly population in years to come, he said.

Softlogic Holdings is working on a health insurance cover to embark on health tourism in a big way. As tourism is picking up in a great way Sri Lanka could market this concept internationally through tour operators, he said. The Softlogic Holdings Company will set up a state-of-the- art hospital in Kandy with a substantial investment.

This most up-to-date hospital is at the designing stage and will comprise 100 rooms. The fully equipped hospital will be ready for public in 30 months.

The company also plans to set up a sophisticated cancer treatment centre and negotiations are currently underway.

The Central Hospital which is owned by the Softlogic Holdings is of international standard and the company is ready to cater to the international market, Pathirage said.

Related Info :
• Softlogic Plans a City Hotel in Colombo with Moevenpick Hotels

Sri Lanka's Softlogic Buys Hotel Ceysands at Bentota, a Golden Key Credit Card Company (GKCC) Property

03rd December 2010, www.sundaytimes.lk

Softlogic Holdings Ltd has been allowed to purchase the disputed Hotel Ceysands at Bentota at a price of Rs.925 million, according to a directive issued by the Supreme Court on Friday.

The 3-member Court bench headed by Justice Shirani Tilakawardane directed the Chartered Accountants committee appointed to devise a repayment plan and to asses and value Golden Key Credit Card Company (GKCC) properties, to accept the offer made by Softlogic, when the GKCC case was taken up for hearing today. The court has authorised the sale of GK properties to pay off investors who lost some Rs 26 billion after the company crashed in December 2008.

Related Info:
Softlogic Plans a City Hotel in Colombo with Moevenpick Hotels

Softlogic Plans a City Hotel in Colombo with Moevenpick Hotels

21st November 2010, www.sundaytimes.lk

The Softlogic Group sealed a deal with Swiss-based Moevenpick Hotels and Resorts on dnesday to manage a city hotel that is to be built by Softlogic in Colombo in the next three years, Softlogic officials said.

“We signed a management agreement with Moevenpick on Wednesday in Dubai (at their regional head office) to manage a hotel we’ll be building in Colombo,” Ashok Pathirage, Chairman Softlogic told the Business Times.

He said the 5-star hotel they’ll be building will be located next to the Colpetty shopping mall, Liberty Plaza, in a 90-perch land. He said the estimated cost to build this hotel is some US$ 25 million.

“It’ll be a 200-room hotel built to Moevenpick standards and we plan to complete it within two and a half years,” he said.

Mr. Pathirage said that Softlogic has requested necessary approvals from state authorities and no sooner this is finalised, Softlogic plans to start construction. “It will be in about two to three months,” he added.

Softlogic also emerged as the highest bidder with Rs 925 million amongst 28 bidders for the Ceylinco Group-related Hotel Ceysands, whose sale was suspended pending the Supreme Court order on modalities of the Golden Key Special Purpose Vehicle Company Ltd.

Mr. Pathirage said the Initial Public Offering (IPO) that Softlogic has planned will go on board by March next year but declined to comment on the amount.