Sri Lanka’s Ambeon Group enters hospitality sector
The Morning: The Kandy Hotels Company PLC and The Ceylon Hotels Corporation PLC Ambeon Group, announced its entry into the hospitality sector with strategic equity investments in two listed hotel companies recently.
The targeted shareholding stakes were executed through Ambeon’s two flagship listed entities; Ambeon Capital PLC and its main subsidiary Ambeon Holdings PLC. Ambeon Capital PLC acquired 12.3 million shares of Ceylon Hotels Corporation PLC, representing 6.84% of its issued capital while Ambeon Holdings PLC acquired 45.9 million shares of The Kandy Hotels Company PLC, representing 6.09% of its issued capital.
Ambeon Group Chairperson Sujeewa Mudalige said: “Our decision to invest into the hospitality sector is a natural extension of our group’s long-term strategy of identifying and investing in high-growth industries. Tourism remains a vital pillar of Sri Lanka’s economy, and we see these investments as timely and value-accretive.”
Through these investments, Ambeon partners with two players in Sri Lanka’s leisure and tourism industry, Ceylon Hotels Corporation and The Kandy Hotels Company, both with well-established footprints across heritage, cultural, and resort segments.
Ambeon Group Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Dr. Sajeeva Narangoda said: “At Ambeon, our purpose is to transform latent opportunities into ventures that deliver sustained value, guided by a disciplined and forward-looking investment approach. We remain committed to sectors that align with national priorities and global trends. This investment reflects our disciplined approach to capital allocation and our confidence in the long-term potential of Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry.”
Following Ambeon Group’s strong Q1 performance for FY25/26, with consolidated profit-after-tax of Rs. 731 million through Ambeon Capital PLC and Rs. 677 million through Ambeon Holdings PLC, the group continues to demonstrate strategic discipline and resilience.
For FY24/25, Ambeon Holdings and Ambeon Capital delivered robust results, reporting profits-after-tax of Rs. 2 billion and Rs. 1.6 billion respectively, reflecting consistent growth across their diversified portfolios.
By entering the hospitality sector at this pivotal moment, Ambeon not only reinforces its portfolio but also advances its long-term vision of investing in high-potential sectors that drive sustainable growth and contribute to national economic development.
Ambeon Group’s financial sector portfolio includes a 9.53% stake in DFCC Bank PLC and a 9.93% stake in Seylan Bank PLC.
OSL take:
The steadily growing tourism industry has become a hotspot for business/investment opportunities, especially in the leisure and hospitality sectors. The increasing number of foreign travelers to the country and the increasing tourism concepts being promoted by local tourism authorities have all resulted in the expansion of Sri Lanka’s tourism industry and related sectors like leisure and hospitality. The interest shown by international leisure and hospitality brands in entering Sri Lanka, the investments flowing into the tourism industry and the many expansion programmes undertaken by businesses already engaged in the industry are indications of the increasing growth and business potential in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. With Sri Lanka being identified as a must visit tourist destination and the expanding tourism concepts to attract more tourists to the country, foreign businesses/investors could confidently explore the expanding business/investment opportunities since they present long-term, high-potential business ventures.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20250903/Z_1 |