Sri Lanka’s first houseboat in the Bentota waters
View(s):The Jetwing Group, always looking for innovative ideas to steer its tourism segment, has come up with another first – houseboat
Houseboat and (inset) the bedroom
tourism. The company has launched its first houseboat on the lines of the Kerala backwaters (and also Kashmir) where houseboats are a popular tourist attraction. “Shiromal (Cooray, Jetwing Director) and I visited Kerala and were impressed by the houseboat concept,” Mr. Cooray told the Business Times.
Based on its success, the group plans to expand to four boats from one at the moment which is located on the Bentota river. Imagine going to sleep in an intimate room and waking up in the morning in another
location of the river? Yathra by Jetwing is the new concept promoted by Jetwing 
which last year also launched the first budget, no-frills hotel in Negombo.
Yathra, crafted from bamboo, thatch and metal, has two cabins, designed with comfort and comfort alone in mind along with attached bathrooms and private balconies as well as private dining areas. It would be launched next month.
On other company developments, Mr. Cooray said the Jaffna 4-star hotel is due for opening in mid-2015 while the Colombo luxury hotel will be ready by early 2016.