Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has broken ground on its first ever property in Sri Lanka.

The company held a ceremony recently to mark the start of construction work on the Park Inn by Radisson Colombo. The event was attended by Sri Lanka’s Minister of Tourism Development, John Amaratunga, and Thorsten Kirschke, Carlson Rezidor’s president for Asia Pacific.

Located on Galle Road, in the centre of the Sri Lankan capital, the new midscale hotel will offer 199 rooms, a swimming pool, fitness centre, F&B outlets and function space. It is expected to open in the second quarter of 2019.

“This is a significant milestone as Park Inn by Radisson Colombo marks our first hotel in Sri Lanka and the debut of our Park Inn by Radisson brand in the country,” said Kirschke. “Sri Lanka… is globally renowned as a tropical paradise. The nation’s pristine, natural beauty coupled with numerous breath-taking experiences and activities, is perfectly aligned with Park Inn by Radisson’s positioning as bright, bold, fresh and energetic.”

This is the first of two hotels to be managed by Carlson Rezidor in Sri Lanka, with the upscale Radisson Kandy set to follow. Both properties are owned by Sofia Hospitality.