Lotus Tower Could Become Southeast Asia’s Largest Christmas Tree 

Western Province Governor Hanif Yusoof has proposed transforming Colombo’s iconic Lotus Tower into what he hopes will be Southeast Asia’s largest Christmas tree during the upcoming festive season.

Yusoof made the proposal while speaking at the launch of PickMe’s Colombo Connect digital ecosystem at the Lotus Tower on Wednesday, presenting the idea as part of efforts to create a stronger Christmas atmosphere in Colombo and attract more visitors during the holiday period.

However, the proposal has not yet been confirmed as an official government project. Details such as the estimated cost, implementation timeline and the involvement of Lotus Tower management have yet to be announced.

Yusoof said he intended to make this Christmas a major attraction for Colombo and pledged to raise the proposal with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya.

He also called on businesses and members of the private sector to contribute to the festive atmosphere by decorating hotels, restaurants, shops and homes.

The proposal comes nearly a decade after Sri Lanka's previous attempt to create a record-breaking Christmas tree at Galle Face Green in 2016. That project, which was privately funded at a reported cost of Rs. 12 million, faced construction delays and criticism over its expenditure. Guinness World Records subsequently certified the structure as the world's tallest artificial Christmas tree in December 2017.

The earlier structure was built using materials including scrap metal, wood and more than one million hand-painted pine cones.

In contrast, the proposed Lotus Tower display could potentially make use of the structure's existing LED lighting system, potentially reducing the need for major construction work. However, it remains unclear whether the tower's lighting infrastructure will be used for the proposed Christmas display.

For now, the plan remains an ambition announced by the Governor, with further details expected if the proposal moves towards implementation.