Business
Luxury retreats flooded with overseas enquiries as India opens for foreign tourists
BY S VENKAT NARAYAN
Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, March 26: India opened its skies on Sunday (March 27) for foreign tourists after two years of Covid-induced shut-down. Luxury retreats, which have held off challenges faced by a pandemic-crippled industry, are anticipating a rise in demand with the resumption of regular international flights.
Ananda in the Himalayas, a destination spa resort in the foothills close to Rishikesh in Uttarakhand state, has witnessed an all-time high interest from foreigners after the issuing of tourist visas recommenced in December 2021.
Mahesh Natarajan, chief operating officer of IHHR Hospitality Ananda, its owner company, says: “Several of our regular Ananda guests from various countries have written to us describing a void they have experienced these last two years when they could not continue their annual wellness programme.”
The luxury brand has received a glut of enquiries from overseas recently, especially for its panchakarma- (an Ayurvedic technique) and meditation-based programmes, reflecting the twin needs of physical and emotional cleansing and rejuvenation after such a challenging period.
“Starting March-end, we expect a very buoyant demand from clients from the US, Western Europe, West Asia and other regions,” Natarajan adds.
A financial hub like Mumbai is already seeing pent-up demand from foreign business travel, says Amruda Nair, Director of Araiya Hotels & Resorts. However, she believes that the real impact for leisure tourism will be witnessed during the winter season from November to February.
“In long-haul markets such as the US, there is certainly interest in the cultural, heritage, wellness and adventure destinations in India. I am already seeing returning guests from the US in my hospitality business in Europe,” says Nair. Apart from three resorts in India, she also runs operations under Araiya Malta in the European nation.
Allen Machado, CEO, Niraamaya Wellness Retreats, says their overseas clients — particularly from the UK, US and West Asia — are showing willingness to return to India. The war in Ukraine, however, has dimmed interest from CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries, he adds.
“If international flights open up, we will see a good inflow and resurgence July onwards, particularly in the second and third quarters of this financial year,” Machado says.
Niraamaya runs wellness retreats (four in Kerala, one in Bengaluru and another in Kohima) and private residences (in Goa, Kerala and Karnataka). Earlier, 80 per cent of its visitors were from abroad. Post-Covid, that was reversed to more than 90 per cent in favour of domestic clients, who are extremely price-sensitive. Niraamaya had to re-strategize its revenue model, and effect a drop of up to 40-50 percent in tariffs.
There has been a major shift in how people choose their holidays, with hygiene and safety measures, less crowded destinations that are within a driving distance, and healthy cuisine forming a trend that is here to stay, says Machado.
Evolve Back Resorts got in touch with its foreign travel operators and destination management firms after a gap of nearly two years. Its Executive Director Jose Ramapuram expects overseas traffic to pick up only from October “as we now enter an off-season as far as in-bound tourism is concerned.”
“We are, however, experiencing demand from long-distance travellers from within India,” he adds. “During the pandemic, we found a lot of regional travellers from within Karnataka (where Evolve Back has three properties) and nearby states.”
In November 2019, Evolve Back had also acquired its first international property in Central Kalahari. Botswana, where its resort is situated, had no domestic demand and catered only to the international market. Following the pandemic, for two years, it had few guests. But the African nation has now opened up, and Evolve Back is seeing a rise in international demand.
Back in India at Ananda, which offers the luxury of retreating to a secluded 100-acre forest estate reserved only for resident guests, the highlights include personalisation for every guest — be it wellness assessment and guidance, one-on-one sessions of yoga and meditation, or tailor-made gourmet meals.
At Araiya’s 38-room Palampur resort in Himachal, overlooking the Dhauladhar range, its new offerings include walking tours in nearby villages and hikes in the mountains with trained guides from the neighbouring local community.
Apart from those who drive to the hills from places in the North within a four- to six-hour radius, there is an increased willingness to take single flights such as from Delhi to Dharamshala, Amruda Nair points out.
She cites a study by online travel firm Expedia last year, which suggested that the top drivers of value for people when booking hotels are enhanced cleaning measures, flexible cancellation policies and ease of refunds. She expects this trend to continue, even as luxury resorts expect increased demand with Indian tourism finally opening up.
By Ifham Nizam
Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Matthew Duckworth described Omega Traders’ latest investment in a modern dhal-processing facility as a strong example of how cross-border supply chains can translate into productive investment, local value addition and new business opportunities in Sri Lanka.
The investment, which adds a 150-metric-tonne-per-eight-hour-day processing capacity to Omega Traders’ operations, marks a significant expansion of the company’s manufacturing footprint as it celebrates 45 years in Sri Lanka’s food commodity industry.
Speaking at the inauguration of the new Lentil and Orid Dhal Processing Factory in Wattala, last Friday, H.C. Duckworth said the facility represented more than an increase in production capacity, pointing to the wider economic value created when Australian agricultural production is connected with Sri Lankan processing and distribution.
‘This facility is not operating on its own. It is part of a long supply chain and a trade partnership between Sri Lanka and Australia, Duckworth said.
His comments placed the Omega Traders’ investment within a broader commercial context: Australia brings agricultural production and established export capabilities, while Sri Lanka provides processing capacity, labour, market access and opportunities for further value addition.
The investment comes as Sri Lanka continues to look towards greater domestic processing and value-added manufacturing rather than relying solely on the import and distribution of finished commodities.
Dr. (Mrs.) Siddhika G. Senaratne, Director General/CEO of the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI), who attended the inauguration as Guest of Honour, highlighted the importance of quality assurance in food processing and the role of standards in maintaining confidence across the supply chain.
The facility is equipped with new-generation cleaning, processing, sorting and quality-control machinery, including advanced colour-sorting technology, automated systems and an in-house quality-control laboratory.
The additional capacity will support Omega Traders’ three principal Mysoor Dhal brands — Rainbow Jumbo Dhal, Komas Dhal and Rozanna Dhal — which serve different segments of the Sri Lankan market.
But the investment also has a distinctly local agricultural dimension.
Through its Orid Dhal operation, Omega Traders plans to source locally grown black matpe from Sri Lankan farmers and process it at the new facility.
That creates a domestic value chain linking farmers to industrial processing and consumers, while potentially increasing demand for locally produced agricultural commodities.
Duckworth said this type of business partnership could generate benefits for both countries.
‘Australia produces some of the world’s best agricultural products and we are very efficient and very capable at trading them. But that alone is not going to bring success to Australia. Just as building a factory like this is not going to bring success to Sri Lanka, he said.
‘It’s when we bring these entities together that our products produced in Australia can be processed in excellence here in Sri Lanka that enables this to be a success, the H.C. explained.
The investment therefore combines two complementary supply streams: imported agricultural commodities, including Australian-origin products, and locally produced black matpe for the Orid Dhal operation.
For Sri Lanka, the business significance extends beyond Omega Traders itself. Increased processing capacity creates demand for logistics, packaging, distribution, services and agricultural inputs, while supporting employment within the food-processing ecosystem.
HR-led transformation places people, culture and business performance at the heart of the organisation
Ideal Motors (Pvt) Ltd,has achieved a significant milestone by securing multiple prestigious workplace and organisational culture accolades in 2026, reinforcing its position as an employer of choice in Sri Lanka’s automotive sector.
Among its latest achievements, Ideal Motors has been recognised as one of the 20 Great Workplaces for Young Talent in Sri Lanka 2026, ranked No. 1 and awarded the Gold Medal in the Small and Medium category of Best Workplaces™ in Sri Lanka 2026, and ranked No. 18 among Best Workplaces™ in Asia in the Medium Scale category—the highest-ranked Sri Lankan organisation in the category. The company also received Industry Excellence for Workplace Culture – Trading Industry.
The Young Talent recognition was presented at the Great Place To Work® CXO Forum 2026 held on 10 September 2026 at Cinnamon Life, Colombo. The recognition followed an evaluation of more than 100 certified organisations and highlights workplaces that create meaningful opportunities for employees under 35 to develop, contribute and grow.
At the Best Workplaces™ in Sri Lanka Awards Gala 2026, held on 11 September 2026 at Cinnamon Life, Colombo, Ideal Motors achieved another historic milestone by entering the Best Workplaces Sri Lanka list for the first time and securing the No. 1 Gold Medal in the Small and Medium category. The company also achieved No. 18 in Best Workplaces™ in Asia, reflecting the strength of its workplace culture beyond Sri Lanka.
These achievements represent more than a collection of awards. They reflect the transformation taking place within Ideal Motors, where people, culture and business performance are increasingly viewed as interconnected drivers of sustainable growth.
Over the past few years, the organisation’s HR function has evolved from a predominantly administrative role into a strategic business partner, with greater emphasis on employee experience, capability development, engagement, performance, communication, wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, and data-driven HR practices.
The Automobile Association of Ceylon (AAC) conducted a seat belt safety awareness programme in front of its headquarters and along Galle Face Centre Road, encouraging motorists and passengers to make seat belt use a habit on every journey.
AAC staff, working alongside officers of the Sri Lanka Police Traffic Division, distributed specially designed hanging tags and stickers to drivers. The material carries a clear reminder that seat belts protect drivers as well as passengers in both the front and rear seats.
The public awareness drive was held ahead of the requirement taking effect on 20 September 2026, under which seat belt use becomes mandatory for every occupant of a vehicle travelling on an expressway.
AAC emphasized that the regulation should be understood as a life-saving measure rather than only a legal obligation. Wearing a seat belt can help prevent occupants from being thrown inside or from a vehicle during a collision and can lessen the severity of injuries.
The Association said road safety legislation must be supported by sustained public education, visible enforcement and responsible behaviour by all road users. The participation of the Traffic Police helped the campaign reach motorists directly in a busy part of central Colombo.
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