Financial Times

Connaissance sees good potential in ‘Buddhist tourism’

Buddhist tourism – a niche market product aimed at tapping the interest in Buddhism among travellers in east Asian Buddhist countries as well as in Europe, Scandinavia and the US, is growing in popularity according to Connaissance Holdings Ltd. The company, which took the lead in promoting the concept, last year handled 1600 pilgrim-tourist visitors to the island, its managing director S. Senaratne said.

He reported growing interest, especially in south east Asian countries like Thailand and South Korea and now China. “We have been working to promote Buddhist cultural tourism,” he explained. “It started in a big way in Thailand where it has now become very popular. They come on pilgrimages on short five-day tours to Colombo, Anuradhapura and Kandy.”

The company has prepared Chinese and Japanese brochures of places where the Buddha is believed to have visited, to promote the concept and encourage more visitors.

“In China and Japan, people are keen to go on pilgrimages to places where the Buddha has visited,” Senaratne said. Interest in Buddhism among Europeans and Americans indicates there is potential to develop niche markets.
The next step in the development of Buddhist cultural tourism could be the development of special facilities such as international meditation centres to cater to foreigners interested in the philosophy of Buddhism.

“This is not only a tour but something very special we offer foreigners, its the doctrine of Buddhism that we should promote,” Senaratne said. Connaissance Holdings, added that while Buddhist tourism continues to grow in popularity they have also identified target markets such as Buddhist-oriented countries in south and south east Asia, including China and Japan where the firm believes it has a “captive market”.

It also intends to tap the interest in Buddhism among travellers in Scandinavia as well. Meanwhile, the company is expanding and upgrading its hotel properties. At its Culture Club subsidiary, the firm has begun upgrading 20 rooms to deluxe standard while in Le Kandyan it will upgrade another 20 rooms in the deluxe wing.

The upgrading costs nearly Rs. 2 million a room in each hotel. In Kandy, it is also building what it calls “quaint log cabins,” on a three-acre plot of land which it bought just above the main hotel and which offers a panoramic view of the Hantane hills. At the Culture Club, it has 11 Eco Lodges – separate wattle and daub units with thatched roofs for people who want to be close to nature but with a very comfortable interior.

“On the outside it looks like a village home,” said Senaratne. “We plan to sell it at a higher rate than the normal room.” Future Connaissance plans include a re-branding exercise where it will have a new name and logo for all its hotels. The company is also looking at Nuwara Eliya and Wadduwa to expand its property portfolio. But it said Wadduwa may have to be reconsidered because of the proposed 100-metre buffer zone.

Back to Business