Q: As a recently introduced brand in Sri Lanka, what can you tell us about your organisation’s journey so far?
A: Marriott International entered the South Asian region 23 years ago with its first hotel in India. Today, we’re the largest hotel brand in this region with 135 hotels in India, and 146 hotels across Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.

We opened the Weligama Bay Marriott Resort & Spa in 2017 and the Sheraton Kosgoda Turtle Beach Resort in 2020, in collaboration with the LOLC group.

Marriott International signed with Colombo City Centre – a member of the Abans Group during the height of the pandemic. This shows the strength of the brand and the confidence it portrays to those seeking to partner with us.

Now that it’s open, we consider it a gateway to our other two hotels and brings our Courtyard brand to the capital city. We’re confident that our presence in Colombo will induce more growth for us in the future, given the significant potential for travel and tourism in Sri Lanka.

Q: What does the brand Courtyard by Marriott Colombo embody in terms of values and offering?
A: Marriott International owns 31 brands and 8,200+ properties across 139 countries. Of these, the Courtyard by Marriott brand is the largest and most popular with over 1,100 hotels worldwide. It is also the largest operating brand in the South Asian region.

Our brands have different positionings based on the region they are in and the products they offer. Courtyard by Marriott Colombo stands for comfort, efficiency and convenience – values that resonate with business travellers and holidaymakers alike. In addition, it offers amazing views of the sea and the lake, and a fantastic location right in the city centre with a shopping complex below and luxury residential apartments above.

Q: Does the country continue to hold a niche for its unique brand of Sri Lankan hospitality?

A: Yes it does because the people of Sri Lanka, in addition to their natural warmth and friendly nature, are resilient and always bounce back.

For instance, the Sheraton Kosgoda Turtle Beach Resort was opened a little before the pandemic struck and there was no business in the initial months. Yet, the resort has turned around in the most effective manner today, thanks to the dedication and resilience of our associates and leaders at the hotel.

On our part, we ensured that our team members were well looked after. During the difficult times of the pandemic, we supported them with relief funds, provisions and other essentials. At the same time, our teams have been phenomenal in their service and commitment during this period. It’s not easy to go through adversity and still come out with a smile to greet customers – but they did it with pride!

Q: Has the entry of international hotel brands impacted the performance of local hotels?
A: From a purely financial perspective, international brands may pose a challenge to local hotels. However, when considered holistically, international brands enhance a destination’s attractiveness and uplift the quality of service and choice for customers. This increases competition and uplifts levels of delivery on the whole.

Sri Lanka’s culture of hospitality is inherent in its people, and some of the local brands are extremely popular and offer excellent service. So it’s a wonderful mix, not only for customers but also for employees who have more opportunities.

Although we are an international brand, we believe in operating locally. We prefer to recruit locally and source resources from within the country. Every nation has its unique culture, produce and resources, and we need to source food, amenities and service locally to serve the location better.

Q: Could you describe the brand’s future plans?
A: As we are operating three hotels in Sri Lanka, we look forward with optimism for growth in the next 12-18 months.

We have a few agreements signed, as well as some light construction underway – the timelines of which have been pushed back due to local and global turbulence. Sheraton Colombo Hotel, will be completed and opened soon to the public.

In addition, we are working with some local owners and foreign investors to open more hotels in and around Colombo including the Ritz-Carlton Colombo. Our intention is to bring many more brands to Sri Lanka in the future.

Q: And what plans are in place to ensure sustainability in your operations?
A: We have been taking concrete steps internationally to ensure sustainability since our global aim is to be net zero by 2030.

In terms of Colombo, we are looking at discontinuing single-use plastics in our hotels, and using glass water bottles and residential amenities in bathrooms – an endeavour that we carried out successfully in India. We also ensure that the food we serve is locally sourced, sustainably grown and as organic as possible, within reasonable price ranges for our guests.

We will be introducing many best practices to Sri Lanka and working towards ensuring sustainability in all that we do.

– Compiled by Ruwandi Perera

INTERVIEWEE DETAILS

Gaurav Singh
Market Vice President – South and East India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh

COMPANY DETAILS

Telephone
7734400

Website
www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/cmbcy-courtyard-colombo