Local company, bucking trends, opens new resort

A local company, bucking trends where resorts are struggling to survive due to lower tourist arrivals owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, has launched a new tourism product.

The Wild Glamping Gal Oya tented luxury chalets, part of the Theme Resorts portfolio, was opened last month, amidst the pandemic. Situated in a 30-acre good practices’ agriculture farm, in the Galoya Valley at Rathugala, the property consists of 10 spacious tents, a restaurant and an infinity pool, the company said in a media release.

Built with the intention of sustainable tourism development, the project features new normal tourism trends such as agri tourism, wild life tourism, ethnic tourism and eco-cultural tourism.

The property’s various green and sustainable initiatives include: Good practice organic agriculture with drip irrigation systems; Inhouse Composting and traditional farming practices; Direct current generation by the usage of individual solar panels for chalets and public areas; Recycling of gray (used) water generated from the property and reusing it for water closet flushing; Eco friendly designs being used to maximise the use of natural light and ventilation; Use of earth bricks, clay, illuk grass, cadjan and other materials outsourced from the locality for building construction; Promotion of the indigenous culture of the Rathugala, Danigala Aadivasi community; Provision of employment opportunities to those in the immediate vicinity; and promotion of unknown cultural / archeological sites such as Rajagala.

The luxury tented chalets were officially declared open by the French Ambassador Eric Lavertu on December 20.