Hilton has expanded its hotel pipeline in Sri Lanka to seven properties with the signing of another upscale hotel.

The company has penned an agreement to manage the 140-room DoubleTree by Hilton Weerawila, which is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2018. This follows a major agreement for six new Hilton and DoubleTree hotels in Sri Lanka, signed by the company in April this year.

Located on the banks of Lake Weerawila in the Hambantota district, close to several national parks and the town of Tissamaharama, DoubleTree by Hilton Weerawila will become the first DoubleTree to open in Sri Lanka, and the first upscale hotel in Weerawila.

“As tourism in Sri Lanka continues to grow, expanding our footprint in developing towns, including Tissamaharama, supports our mission to be the world’s most hospitable company by being in destinations where our guests want to travel,” said Guy Philips, Hilton’s senior vice president of development for Asia & Australasia.

“The signing of DoubleTree by Hilton Weerawila demonstrates our commitment to fill the existing gap of an international accommodation in the area, giving us a clear first-mover advantage in offering our award-winning hospitality to both international and domestic tourists.”

Hilton currently operates a hotel in Colombo and has other properties under development in Kandy, Negombo, Nuwara Eliya and Kosgoda, as well as at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport.