Browns Hotels & Resorts Expands Footprint with Newburgh Ella Launch 📈

• Overall Development: Browns Hotels & Resorts officially soft-opened Newburgh Ella – The Tea Factory Resort on January 30, 2026. This project transforms a century-old factory (est. 1903) into a luxury experiential property, supporting Sri Lanka’s target of 3.0 million tourist arrivals for 2026. • Sector & Capacity: • Hospitality & Tourism: Adds 41 luxury rooms to the Ella region, categorized as Silver, Gold, and Bronze to reflect the tea tip hierarchy. • Employment: Integrates former factory staff into the resort team, preserving local livelihoods while transitioning from industrial to service-based operations. • Strategic Highlights: • Sustainability: Operates on a fully paperless concept (digital check-in/menus) and is currently pursuing LEED and green certifications. • Tourism Infrastructure: Located strategically near the Nine Arch Bridge and Pekoe Trail, enhancing the ICT/BPM and digital-led guest experience in the hill country. • Product Diversification: Features specialized dining venues like 1903 – The Dining Room and Three Tips tea lounge, focusing on "story-led" heritage tourism to increase daily tourist spend. • Economic Context: This expansion aligns with the recovery of the tourism sector, which recorded its highest-ever January arrivals (277,327 visitors) in 2026. The resort aims to capitalize on the 10% YoY growth in arrivals by offering high-end, sustainable heritage experiences.