Hi All
I am married to a Sri Lankan man and we live in Dubai. We had planned to move back to SL last year but work commitments kept us in the middle east. Although the money here is good, recently we have become so exhausted by the middle eastern lifestyle and being away from our families. We want to move back but we are worried about work.
My husband has worked in hospitality management for almost 8 years in the middle east. I worked in hospitality for 10 years but I would not be looking for work straight away as we are expecting our first child in a few months. As my husband has never worked in Sri Lanka (he moved to the middle east when he finished school) both of us are really unsure as to what the chances are there.
We dont have preference as to where we would live, but would really like some feedback and opinions :-)
Too many questions! Move to SL
Moving to a new place can be unnerving at the best of times, so your anxiety is understandable.
I have been away from Sri Lanka myself for the past 14 years and am not sure of how things are on ground. But one thing I do know is that the hospitality sector is looking up. A number of big international names are building properties in Sri Lanka. Tourist numbers have increased. So opportunities are certainly there.
You should bear in mind the difference in lifestyles between the Middle East and Sri Lanka. And also things like air-conditioning that we take for granted in the Middle East become near-luxury in Sri Lanka. The other factor is traffic and crowd - much more in a city like Colombo. Whilst things may not be the same, you will certainly enjoy the important things in life, such as being close to the family and ensuring your kids grow up in the social circle and security of the family.
Best wishes.
Before coming here you better talk to few hotels and ask about opportunities. If you will try it after landing here, your money will be all gone before finding a job. Your target mustn't be only Colombo suburbs. Down South is better! Easten areas are also fast developing! I was talking about beach areas. But you can find beautiful famous hotels in middle part too. If you have enough money, better thing is to start your own business. All the best!!! 
Even i was thinking the same for you as mal said..........better have enough money and create your own small project in hospitality sector and start working in Sri Lanka itself................you have to look for a place which is not developed and create a simportance for that place with your project and get benefited...........
Regards,
Anil
Whilst I like the idea of setting something up in Sri Lanka, this is easier said than done. Even I dabbled with the idea and then just gave up. For a serious investor with not too much of money to spare, Sri Lanka is not a proper investment location still. If you have spare cash and want to "try your luck" then you can go ahead. Otherwise, do be careful.
Especially for someone who has been away from Sri Lanka for such a long time, my sincere advise is to take the safe route - probably safer to start working some where and then venture out on your own business, once you are more familiar with the terrain.
Best wishes.
Yes you are right but if you don't take calculative risk then you can't be able to settled in Sri Lanka....not only in SrI Lanka ,even if in any other country............
Regards,
Anil
Farhaz, Brother your view of the matter is just ridicules! You can not say this country is not good for a business for an expat. Converting a dollar to rupee is a big money. So that for a foreigner, it is an easy life to be in Sri Lanka. But Farhaz you and me are talking about rupees and earnings and expenses in rupees only.
Everywhere in Asia, there are several kinds of people who like to earn 'easy' money. They think white skin is money. So they do not hesitate to do shameful things to earn money.
This is happening in Sri Lanka too. If an expat is trying to get clear information about Sri Lanka these messy people try to cheat them with false information and wrong guide. More than helping expats, they try to add some more coins to their pocket. They have fake consultancy services as well as fake lawyers! They are specially deal with property with fake deeds and after having their commission they will disappear.
I know many foreign investors are successive and live very happy and peaceful lives in Sri Lanka and if you will come in Negombo, I can introduce them to you. In the same time I know some expats who got lost due to starting business jointly with untrustworthy people. These locals are not doing any permanent jobs or not having a good education background. Their only hope is to catch a foreigner. These are the people from whom expat must be very careful. (Not only the tourists who visit to start business specially some expat girls who are coming to have holidays try to have fun with tuktuk drivers in the beach drinking and spend their money on these guys. I have seen by my own eyes) I am living near beach and I have many experience regarding tourism in Sri Lanka and I hope to write more details in Sri Lankan forums later.
I came to this forum for advice, not to listen to people argue their own opinions with each other. If you haven't anything polite and constructive to say, then sorry to say, I am not interested. For those who provided informative advice, thank you very much.
aryavrat wrote:Yes you are right but if you don't take calculative risk then you can't be able to settled in Sri Lanka....not only in SrI Lanka ,even if in any other country............
Regards,
Anil
True Anil, if your exploring new country, first you have to take the risk. Because you only knows what is the difference between your earnings and expenses. Because in every country, there are so many ways to waste your money. Specially if you are into girls or boys ( yes boys!! it is happening in Sri Lanka too) you can easily go empty pocket. Some areas where the visitors are roaming, even husbands allow wives to go and catch one! so everything depends on your own characteristics.
lailatariq wrote:I came to this forum for advice, not to listen to people argue their own opinions with each other. If you haven't anything polite and constructive to say, then sorry to say, I am not interested. For those who provided informative advice, thank you very much.
Sorry but this is the way the forums are going. You are new and you will get used to it soon. 
and we are not arguing either. We are very good friends. On different opinions only you can get a clear idea.
My advice is to come and start your own business and it will be very easy for you because your husband is a Sri Lankan. Education for children is good and life style is very easy here. No one there to make too much laws on you like in middle east 
lailatariq wrote:I came to this forum for advice, not to listen to people argue their own opinions with each other. If you haven't anything polite and constructive to say, then sorry to say, I am not interested. For those who provided informative advice, thank you very much.
Its true, lailatariq. We openly discuss views on the Forum, and the Forum regulars are good friends. And I hope reading these discussions will aid you in your decision too.
Getting back to your original question - you now have different views. You could take these into consideration and then make a decision that you are comfortable with.
I wish the two of you all the best in whatever you decide.
mal wrote:Farhaz, Brother your view of the matter is just ridicules! You can not say this country is not good for a business for an expat...
I know the following is off-topic - and I apologize in advance to lailatariq for this.
Sis Mal, I look forward to hearing from you on good potential investment opportunities by PM please.
Farhaz wrote:mal wrote:Farhaz, Brother your view of the matter is just ridicules! You can not say this country is not good for a business for an expat...
I know the following is off-topic - and I apologize in advance to lailatariq for this.
Sis Mal, I look forward to hearing from you on good potential investment opportunities by PM please.
Yep Bro, let me go home and write you peacefully! I will pm you!
If you both have a new idea or plan to make money in Sri Lanka inform me too ..........i don't want to waste my time .........will come quickly and earn some good handsome money........... 
aryavrat wrote:If you both have a new idea or plan to make money in Sri Lanka inform me too ..........i don't want to waste my time .........will come quickly and earn some good handsome money...........
I have some business ideas and I am doing research these days.. when I will get enough info I will let you know all!
Thats very nice of you Mal........... 
aryavrat wrote:Thats very nice of you Mal...........
Yeah you will get more benefited to work in Sri Lanka than in Congo and with a handsome income
Not handsome one................
aryavrat wrote:Not handsome one................
If you like you can sponsor a kid in an orphanage in Sri Lanka. I know you are a charity guy.
Do you know that many charitable foreigners who are visiting regularly are now sponsoring elephants?? If you like I can help you in sponsoring a baby elephant. They are very cute like babies.
What a nature loving thought.........?
Regards,
An
aryavrat wrote:What a nature loving thought.........?
Regards,
An
Yes it is a paradise of nature. so we Lankans are nature people!
mal wrote:aryavrat wrote:What a nature loving thought.........?
Regards,
An
Yes it is a paradise of nature. so we Lankans are nature people!
Only nature people or nature loving people..........like i missed il in my name in my previous post you missed the whole word loving..........
aryavrat wrote:mal wrote:aryavrat wrote:What a nature loving thought.........?
Regards,
An
Yes it is a paradise of nature. so we Lankans are nature people!
Only nature people or nature loving people..........like i missed il in my name in my previous post you missed the whole word loving..........
Thanks for editing.... yep it should be as nature loving people!!
Sorry I'm late!
As a hotelier in Sri Lanka, I can ASSURE everyone that there is actually a SEVERE SHORTAGE of good, well-trained Hotel Staff at all levels!
That is due mainly to two reasons:
1- Some of the BEST employees are frequently lured away to more lucrative countries like the Middle East,etc., and,
2- There are BRAND NEW HOTELS opening up almost on a WEEKLY basis all over Sri Lanka now, due to severe shortage of hotel rooms due to an unprecedented "boom" in tourism, since the "war" ended, and there is simply not enough trained staff in Sri Lanka to operate there hotels!
Have a look at the Employment Section of any major newspaper on a Sunday, and you will understand what I mean.
lailatariq, if you are reading this, sure, I advise you to send your CV's to all major hotels, especially the brand new ones that are opening up all over the island, before you come down, but I can assure you, that if you have the qualifications, you should have absolutely no difficulty landing a good job at a good hotel in Sri Lanka.
And especially good time would be in about 2 years time when a number of very large 5 Star Hotels are scheduled to open in Colombo!
Good Luck!
