Hotels have been filled to capacity for the Kandy Perahara, seen as Asia’s most colourful pageant which began on Thursday. Rodney Armstrong, Resident Manager, Mahaweli Reach Hotel and President of the Kandy Hotels Association said the event is getting better every year after the Sri Lankan conflict ended in May 2009. “Over the last 6-7 days all hotels here are fully booked and no rooms available,” he said.
Kandy has around 1,200-1,300 rooms inclusive of hotels and guest houses.
He said around 8,000-10,000 foreign visitors are expected to witness the 10-day event which ends on August 14. Vasantha Leelananda, Head of Inbound Leisure Inbound at John Keells Holdings, said there was more promotion this year in Asian markets like Japan as a religious event while in the traditional markets (UK, Germany) visitors were attending the festival as part of their regular tour.
Every night, the ritual-like pageant wends its way through the streets of Kandy filled with over 100 richly caparisoned elephants and 100s fire-dancers, whip-lash dancers and various other cultural dancers.
The touring Australian cricket team playing a match in Kandy has also cut into the availability of rooms. Both the Australian and Sri Lankan cricket teams are housed at the Earl’s Regency Hotel, Kandy whose General Manager Kenneth de Livera said for this purpose they had to turn down other requests for rooms. |
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