The Fortress, Balumgala – Kadugannawa’s first luxury boutique villa, re-opened the property for July 2020 bookings. Located atop the private mountain-side of Balumgala, the Villa operators, under the management of Rome Hotels & Resorts have been working closely with industry officials in the implementation of strict COVID-19 protocols to ensure guest safety, above all.
The implementation of new operational guidelines at The Fortress, Balumgala include key prevention practices such as physical distancing to the maximum extent possible, use of face masks by employees (where shield protection is not required) and customers/clients, frequent handwashing and regular cleaning and disinfection, training employees on these and other elements of the COVID-19 prevention plan.
Speaking with K. Sumithrarachchi – Director, Rome Hotels & Resorts, about the state of the industry in a post-COVID-19 world, he noted “As the travel & tourism industry in Sri Lanka faces another year of trial and tribulation, it is imperative we support local businesses more than ever. This support should extend beyond travel & tourism to all local industries and service providers, as a bid to further strengthen Sri Lanka’s economy.”
In addition, whilst preventing any major downsizing in operations, the property’s on-site staff will work in shifts to ensure minimal guest contact, zero primary and secondary group mixing, whilst managing processes to identify new cases of illness, intervening quickly and working with public health authorities to halt the spread of the virus.
Concluding, Sumithrarachchi noted “Guest satisfaction has always been our number one priority at Rome Hotels & Resorts. We pride ourselves in doing things differently to offer our clientele the ideal mix between traditional, old-school hospitality coupled with modern efficiency and design. We now eagerly look forward to welcoming guests back to the property.”
Kadugannawa – the gateway town to the central highlands and Sri Lanka’s sacred city – Kandy, was set to become the newest addition to South Asia’s experiential travel circuit. As a result of the 2019 Easter Attacks and the current, unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, plans for global strategic marketing to aid in uplifting the tourism value of Kadugannawa have remained on hold for the past year.