‘India our No. 1 source market’

Radhey Tawar, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, says they are all set woo corporate and leisure travellers with their diverse portfolio in Sri Lanka and eyeing M!CE & wedding business.

TT Bureau

It has been only a month into his new role as the Chief Commercial Officer of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, but Radhey Tawar knows where he must be at present to drive his business strategies in India, the number one source market for Sri Lanka. “The number of tourist arrivals from India add to around 17 to 18 per cent of the total market share of all the tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka. As Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts being the largest hospitality operator in the country with almost 2,000 rooms of the 11 properties, our share is anywhere between 14 to 20 per cent of the Indian travellers that come to the country,” he says.

For a country that went through one of the worst economic crises in its history last year, the tourism sector is showing a remarkable recovery. “By the first quarter of 2024, the tourism numbers will surpass the best years’ numbers,” he says.

Indian travellers and their evergrowing appetite, as well as pockets for immersive experiences, are the locus of his action plan for promoting the brand’s most ambitious and luxurious project till date in Sri Lanka – Cinnamon Life Integrated Resort. Set to open in August 2024, it will be home to two hotels featuring 800 guestrooms and suites, 15 restaurants and bars with live entertainment in the evenings, two wellness centres, a kids’ club, and 80,000 sq.ft. of events and meetings space.

“It has an office complex where eight floors have already been taken by HCL, which is an Indian company. Indian corporate houses like Tatas and Adani are also doing different projects there. And right now, our teams, which are already in place, have started to sell their properties in different parts of the market. We have global sales offices here in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, along with one in Chennai opening soon,” he says. “Another resort in Kandy, Sri Lanka, is also scheduled for opening next year,” he adds.

In the coming months, he plans to work closely with the brand’s trade partners in India to promote Sri Lanka as the top wedding & M!CE destination. The strategy involves conducting roadshows in tier II and tier III Indian cities to enter the new markets. This year, the brand has already hosted six Indian weddings across its properties in Sri Lanka. “Indians living in different parts of the world pick Sri Lanka due to its proximity to India and the ease of travel,” Tawar says. He believes the diversity of the destination sets it apart from others. “In Sri Lanka, the weather changes every two hours. The country offers varied and unparalleled experiences, he says.