Druvi Gunasekera - Passionately promoting luxe boutique tourism
A stalwart in the hospitality industry Druvi Gunasekera is passionate about promoting luxury boutique tourism. Having cut her teeth in at the Galle Face Hotel and Aman in Sri Lanka, Druvi identified a niche in the market and set about publishing Boutiques in Sri Lanka, a luxury accomodation guide which includes a carefully curated selection of boutiques and villas in Sri Lanka which offer the best in terms of luxury stays in Sri Lanka. Having just returned from the World Travel Market in London where she launched her guide to industry stakeholders Druvi is positive about the direction in which luxury tourism in Sri Lanka is heading.
How did you get into the tourism industry?
After 12 years in the advertising industry, I moved to media during which I was recommended to the Chairman of the Galle Face Hotel who offered me a job as Head of Sales and Marketing and PR for the Galle Face Hotel Group. I learnt so much from my time there which held me in good stead when I joined Aman, an international chain of luxury hotels which had a presence in Sri Lanka.
What motivated you to publish the luxury accommodation guide featuring boutiques and villas of Sri Lanka?
When the war ended there was an influx of hotels - many using the word luxury and boutique without knowing what using those words entailed. The words "Boutique" and "Personalised Service" were freely used but not always executed! Having worked for Aman for over six years I was exposed to what luxury hotels should really be as it is the founder of the Aman hotels who invested the term boutique hotels. I felt the need to differentiate the proper boutiques from those who are not and market them with integrity to overseas tour operators.
How do you apply your experience at a global luxury hotel chain to what you do now?
While working for Aman I was trained to recognize the finer elements of the luxury hospitality industry. Paying attention to detail and to understand the intelligent elements that set Aman apart from the rest. It's these elements that I apply as a yard stick to measure the level of luxury, intelligent service, experience and elegance in Sri Lanka's boutique accommodation, which goes beyond luxury within four walls!
How do you juggle your time managing your own boutique hotel Mowbrey House, Kandy with the demands of publishing the Luxury Accomodation Guide?
Multitasking comes with the job! The Luxury Accommodation Guide is an annual publication. As such I work on it once a year and I have a good support team to assist me. Managing Mowbrey House, Kandy and also marketing of Villa Perpetua, Bandarawela and Living Heritage, Koslanda is something I have been doing for a while. Once you have a good marketing knowledge, maintain a good relationship with your clients and have a comprehensive global database, this isn't a difficult task. Of course the willingness to go that extra mile each time, does make a difference.
Where do you think improvement is needed in the Luxury Travel Market in Sri Lanka?
The county's strategy needs to change. Before the war we had mostly high inventory hotels. However, this has changed and there are hundreds of boutique hotels sprouting and all shouting luxury though not necessarily luxury! Our strategies need to recognise these and know we cannot use the same tools we use in marketing high inventory hotels to effectively market boutique type hotels. For example, the media familiarization visits arranged must recognise which publications are best for boutiques and this applies to overseas operator visits. We need to identify our specific targets appropriately for each segment and strategize our marketing accordingly. We need to move away from stereotype methods and think outside the box! Be creative in our strategies!
There are many boutique hotels which are not registered and some have no local transactions as they are privately marketed overseas. These may affect the Local Travel Industry revenue. As such we need consider avenues to curb these elements. Furthermore, the huge growth in the boutique hotel sector has paved the way for private hospitality marketing companies. However, there are no appropriate associations among the industry for this segment.
Having just returned from WTM (World Travel Market) in UK, how is Sri Lanka viewed by overseas industry stakeholders?
The UK is a key market for Sri Lanka's tourism sector. The interest for Sri Lanka is huge. Our level of hospitality is on par with any other. There is a fantastic selection of properties which are considered both elegant and provide a good service. As a destination, it is a beautiful country with much to offer within a short travel time. This is certainly recognised by our overseas industry stakeholders and they are keen to bring down tourists to check out Sri Lanka.
Interviewed by Tina Edward Gunawardhana
Photographs by Alice Luker
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