Sri Lankan Centara resort to join in initiative to restart international tourism in Asia

Leading Asian hotel operator Centara Hotels and Resorts, is to playing a key role in helping to restart the region’s tourism industry, with its popular beachfront retreat on Sri Lanka’s southwest coast selected to take part in an innovative new initiative to safely reopen the island to inbound visitors.

Under the by the Sri Lankan Government’s ‘Airport Opening - Pilot Project’, Centara Ceysands Resort & Spa Sri Lanka will be able to welcome guests from a select number of key markets - initially Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan - as part of a travel bubble arrangement.

Visitors will be welcomed on a limited number of direct charter flights from these countries, and escorted safely and securely straight to the resort, where they will benefit from a reduced quarantine period - down from 14 to seven days.

During this time, guests will be able to enjoy the resort’s full range of facilities, including world-class dining, water sports, wellness and much more, as well as being permitted to visit tourist sites and shops.

The Thailand-based company cites this as another example of its role in helping to lead Asia’s tourism industry out of lockdown.

The company is already participating in the Thai Government’s ‘Alternative State Quarantine’ program, which allows inbound visitors to arrive safely in Thailand with a two-week stay at Centara Watergate Pavillion Hotel Bangkok.

The company also recently unveiled a series of offers at its island resorts in the Maldives, which promote safe and responsible inbound tourism from key markets able to travel, such as the Middle East, Russia and India.

Every Centara property worldwide has implemented the ‘Centara Complete Care’ program, which was developed in partnership with Ecolab and SGS and includes an extensive series of health and hygiene protocols.

The company explains “the creation of travel bubbles is the first step in enabling Asian destinations to safely restart their tourism industries, in the wake of the global pandemic Centara is ready to work with governments across the region to enable the resumption of cross-border travel in a safe manner.”

To learn more about Centara Hotels & Resorts, please visit www.centarahotelsresorts.com.

Image: Centara Ceysands Resort & Spa Sri Lanka selected to take part in the ‘Airport Opening - Pilot Project’, welcoming charter groups from a series of key source markets.