Imagine having your wedding at a venue dressed up to look like an aquatic wonderland, complete with blue light washed walls, a fish tank backdrop for the bride and groom's table and even a 3-tier wedding cake sculpted around fish tanks? Or, hosting a country western theme corporate retreat, where cacti, wagon wheels, barrels and hay are commonplace along with a menu that features corn on the cob, barbecue and other country fare.
 |
 |
| Dunstan Kanagasundaram |
Hemant Dadlani |
Even guests come outfitted with jeans and flannel shirts. These are just two of the creative events that newcomer “The Banquet Company” have so far provided for clients locally.
This is the brainchild of veteran hoteliers Dunstan Kanagasundaram and Hemant Dadlani, who have 38 years of industry experience combined. This fledgling hospitality consultancy offers a complete solution for their clients’ needs.
Now just three months old, they have already successfully handled a 400-guest wedding where the decor alone cost Rs. 1 million, and a corporate retreat for an Indian company where they were responsible for the entire itinerary for 75 people, from room bookings, to airport pick up to sightseeing to a country western theme event. All this in addition to already being retained for dinner dances, kids’ parties, corporate cocktails and even a charity dinner theatre, leading up to the end of 2010.
According to Mr. Kanagasundaram and Mr. Dadlani, the key differentiator they offer is that they are a "One Stop Shop" for any event. Their motto: If you dream it, they can make it possible. Including, events on Trincomalee’s Taprobane Island and in Kalpitiya, combined with whale watching.
This is an attitude they hope will make them particularly attractive to a growing number of corporates coming to Sri Lanka to hold their events. However, this does not mean that they only do corporate or upscale events. In fact, they are quick to point out that their wedding packages start from Rs. 40,000 upwards and then events that they usually handle typically have budgets anywhere between Rs. 100,000 and Rs. 500,000.
Meanwhile, they also indicate that another venture of theirs’, “Dee's Hospitality”, which manages local hospitality venues, is also in the process of opening up a pub and a restaurant in time for this year's holiday season. Aside from this, they are also negotiating to take over operations for a local boutique hotel, with the plan to double its revenue. In fact, it is their contention that it can take as little as six months to turn any large house into a boutique hotel, so that owners can almost immediately benefit from heightened tourist arrivals into Sri Lanka. A situation they can advise owners about.
All this ties in with the future of the local hospitality segment; according to Mr. Kanagasundaram and Mr. Dadlani, an area still just in its infancy. The lack of good service and huge potential for boutique hotels and even bars are just some of the opportunities for hospitality professionals in Sri Lanka. Additionally, the country can also benefit from increased interest in the form of destination weddings or half and half events which need multiple, touristy settings for success and thus are ideal for Sri Lanka.
|
E-mail
