Jetwing Sea turns 50
View(s):Jetwing Sea in Negombo, which began life as the Seashells Hotel in 1972, celebrated its golden jubilee on December 10 with the event graced by Minister for Tourism and Lands Harin Fernando, Dr. Binod Chaudhary, Chairman of the Chaudhary Group Nepal and CG Corporation Global and co-owner of Jetwing Sea, and stalwarts of the hospitality and tourism industry, airlines, and state sector organisations.
Seashells Hotel marked the first foray into the hospitality sector for Herbert Cooray, the founding chairman of Jetwing Hotels. Working as a building contractor at the time, Mr. Cooray was commissioned to build the hotel for G.E.B. Milhuissen in a bid to increase the room inventory of Negombo, whose popularity was rising in Europe. The endeavour was proposed by Göran Olsson of Vingresor, a Swedish travel agent whose recommendations led to Mr. Cooray concurrently starting work on the Blue Oceanic Beach Hotel, which would later become Jetwing Blue. Seashells Hotel opened its doors in 1972 with 40 rooms, the hotel company said in a media release.
“Back then, the hotel only operated between November to April, the European winter,” recalled Hiran Cooray, Chairman of Jetwing Symphony PLC, and the son of Herbert. “However, within a few years of Seashells Hotel’s opening, Negombo and indeed Sri Lanka became known as a year-round destination and tourism really started off in earnest.”
In 1978, with Milhuissen contemplating retirement, the property was bought by Herbert Cooray and his life-long friends George Ondaatjie, Lucian Perera, and Gamini Divitotawela and joined Blue Oceanic Beach Hotel as the humble beginnings of Jetwing’s portfolio.
Further development in 1988 added 28 rooms to the resort, bringing the total to 68. The stake held by Ondaatjie, Perera, and Divitotawela was purchased by Hayleys and, in 2009, purchased by Dr. Binod Chaundhary, who saw the promise that Sri Lanka held for tourism.
“We entered into a partnership with Jetwing at a very tough time for the country,” said Dr. Chaudhary. “But Hiran and I shared a vision for Sri Lanka and its tourism, and I had no hesitation in investing in Jetwing Sea. Over the years, the hotel has brought economic development and job opportunities to Negombo as well as bolstering tourism in the region and I am looking forward to many more successful years with Jetwing Sea.”
Seashells Hotel underwent a complete rebranding in 2011, becoming Jetwing Sea with the original 40 rooms making way for a new deluxe wing and a second pool being added to the resort. Currently, Jetwing Sea features 83 rooms.
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