A market brief each morning, plus company filings and news from across Sri Lanka's stock market. Filter by company, sector and theme, and use sentiment badges to quickly identify Positive or Negative news.
SAJ Associates is expanding its product range to 30 items through the growing Lakarcade retail network, including a new souvenir shop at a Colombo hotel to target rising tourist arrivals. The expansion aims to boost product availability for tourists and supports over 500 female farmers supplying specialised ingredients.
Sri Lanka's real GDP growth slowed to 4.2% in Q2 2026 (y/y), down from 5.0% in Q2 2025, as the economy was hit by higher energy costs from Middle East tensions, weakened purchasing power after tax hikes, adverse weather and a sharp drop in agricultural output, with tourism also subdued.
Sri Lanka recorded 1,609,759 tourist arrivals from Jan 1-Sept 14, 2026, surpassing 1.6 million. India was the top source with 408,024 arrivals YTD and 22,541 in Sept 1-14 (30% share), followed by the UK and China.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board led a Sri Lanka Country Pavilion at FHAM Maldives (7-9 Sept 2026) showcasing 10 SMEs under Creative Sri Lanka 2030 to promote giftware and lifestyle exports to the Maldivian hospitality market. Exhibitors aimed to secure procurement links with luxury resorts, boutique hotels and souvenir retailers to grow niche, high-value exports.
Sri Lanka's GDP grew 4.2% year-on-year in Q2 2026 (Rs.3,029.6bn), down from 5.0% a year earlier and 5.1% in Q1. The statistics office said fuel rationing and higher fuel costs after Middle East tensions and subdued tourism weighed on activity; agriculture fell 2.3% while industry rose 7.3%.
Emirates and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau signed a renewed MoU to jointly promote inbound tourism to Sri Lanka. The partnership aims to boost arrivals as the country recorded over 2.3 million international tourists in 2025, a 15.1% year‑on‑year increase.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka met with Boeing and Emirates to discuss the potential introduction of Emirates' Boeing 777-9 to Sri Lanka, covering regulatory, airworthiness, airport and operational requirements. CAASL signalled a positive intent to facilitate access subject to completion of all applicable safety and regulatory steps.
Sri Lanka showcased its tourism offerings at the Arabian Travel Market 2026 in Dubai, with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau leading a national pavilion that brought around 60 Sri Lankan travel and tour agents to meet Middle Eastern and international buyers. The pavilion highlighted beaches, wildlife, wellness, cultural and adventure products as Sri Lanka seeks to strengthen ties with the Middle East market.
Port City Colombo aims to turn rising arrivals into longer, higher‑spend visits; Sri Lanka logged about 2.36 million international arrivals in 2025 (≈+15% y/y) while tourism earnings rose to about $3.2bn. The project has drawn strong interest, with 200+ firms applying and over 175 approved to operate.
Sri Lanka and Thailand signed a MoU and MoA to open an initial 10,000 employment opportunities for Sri Lankan workers in Thailand under a regulated framework protecting workers’ rights. The agreements target sectors including information technology, tourism, hospitality and skilled technical roles.
Port City Colombo is being developed to convert rising visitor numbers into longer, higher‑spend stays; Sri Lanka recorded about 2.36 million arrivals in 2025 and tourism earnings of roughly $3.2bn. The mixed‑use project (marina, downtown duty‑free, public beach, schools and a planned convention centre) is designed to boost business‑leisure retention and attract companies and talent.
Citrus Leisure PLC has appointed Nirekshe Perera as Group Chief Executive Officer, Designate effective 1 September 2026; current CEO Chandana Talwatte will leave on 11 November 2026 and Perera will assume the Group CEO role on 12 November 2026 to lead the next growth phase.
Classic Destinations hosted about 30 Punjab Travel Agents Association delegates for a Sri Lanka familiarization programme, including an AGM and a networking/destination presentation on 8 Sept at Nuga Gama. The visit aimed to showcase Sri Lankan tourism products and build future partnerships with local hospitality and industry stakeholders.
ALIF-SL 2026, Sri Lanka's Afro-Latin dance festival, will run 25-27 Sept at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo, bringing 30+ international artists and 175-200 participants from 20+ countries and headlined by Italy's Tropical Gem. The event includes the ALIF Cup Sri Lanka Open and is aimed at boosting inbound tourism to Colombo.
Emirates will deploy a retrofitted A380 featuring its Premium Economy cabin on daily Dubai-Paris services (EK071/EK072) from 25 October 2026. Premium Economy has maintained healthy load factors on Lyon and Nice routes, with about one in ten passengers choosing the cabin.
Sri Lanka and Oman held talks to strengthen civil aviation cooperation, focusing on operation and development of Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport and possible resumption/expansion of direct flights to boost tourism and trade.
Cabinet approved a Rs.173.86 million consultancy contract to support the $30 million ADB-funded Sustainable Tourism Sector Development Program to upgrade facilities and infrastructure in Dambulla-Sigiriya and Trincomalee. Resources Development Consultants Ltd., with Novel Interdisciplinary Consulting Enterprise Ltd., was awarded the contract to provide planning and implementation support.
Tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka slipped 1.1% YoY in the first six days of September 2026 to 31,885, bringing the year-to-date total to 1,567,007, down 2% from a year earlier. India remained the largest source market, accounting for 9,894 arrivals (31%) in that period.
Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath said Sri Lanka is negotiating a new bilateral visa arrangement with Thailand after Thailand decided to end the 60-day visa-free entry for Sri Lankans from 15 September 2026. Talks aim to address Thai security concerns, including alleged illegal activity, while facilitating legitimate travel; a draft is being discussed ahead of Herath's visit on 14 September.
The Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Dubai staged the second 'Sri Lanka Beyond Your Dreams' event to showcase tourism, trade and strategic investment and to push a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the UAE. Ministers and UAE trade officials highlighted logistics, free zones, technology and Port City Colombo as key avenues to attract GCC investment and strengthen bilateral economic ties.
Vietjet is running a three-day 9.9 sale (7-10 Sep 2026) offering Eco fares from USD90 one-way and 22% off Deluxe base fares on its Colombo-Ho Chi Minh City route; travel is valid from 10 Sep 2026 to 31 Mar 2027 (blackout dates apply).
Thailand will remove Sri Lanka from its visa‑exemption list, requiring Sri Lankan ordinary passport holders to obtain a visa for tourist entry from September 15, 2026. Travelers arriving on or before September 14, 2026, can still enter visa‑free for up to 60 days under current rules.
The Sri Lanka-Benelux Business Council held its 31st AGM where Dutch Ambassador Wiebe de Boer confirmed Sri Lanka's GSP+ access remains until 2029 and urged deeper EU ties including a potential FTA. Council president Farhath Amith (re-elected) urged Benelux support and highlighted renewable energy, floriculture, agro-processing, eco-tourism and healthcare as priority sectors.
An IMF team will visit Sri Lanka from 10-23 Sept to conduct the combined Seventh review of the Extended Fund Facility programme and the 2026 Article IV Consultation. The IMF said it revised 2026 growth to about 3% and flagged a worsened external outlook from higher fuel import costs and weaker tourism.
Minister Vijitha Herath visited the UAE on 2-3 September 2026 to promote tourism, trade and investment and urged expediting a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). He held bilateral talks with UAE ministers and met EMAAR executives to discuss investment opportunities in Port City Colombo.
Dutch Ambassador Wiebe de Boer said the Benelux union could serve as a sandbox to boost Sri Lankan exporters' EU integration and link to the Port of Rotterdam, noting Sri Lanka's GSP+ access runs until 2029. He urged progress toward an EU FTA, flagged bureaucratic hurdles and named renewable energy, floriculture, agro‑processing, eco‑tourism and healthcare as priority collaboration sectors.
Minister Vijitha Herath inaugurated Gem City Ratnapura 2026 and urged greater value addition in the gem and jewellery industry, calling the NGJA target to raise exports to $3 billion by 2030 a national economic objective. Ministers also highlighted gem tourism, traceability, certification and simpler import-export procedures to boost value-added manufacturing and market access.
Sri Lanka Convention Bureau ran a MICE training programme at Sabaragamuwa University on 11 Aug 2026 to build MICE tourism awareness and develop skilled undergraduates aligned with the national MICE Tourism Road Map. The full-day workshop covered industry trends, event planning, event tech and sustainable risk management and included panel discussions and student presentations.
The High Commission of Sri Lanka in Pretoria held a tourism promotion event at Rosebank Sunday Market, Johannesburg on 30 August 2026 to showcase Sri Lanka's attractions; promotional materials were distributed and many visitors expressed interest in visiting.
CAHM at SLIIT has partnered with CÉ LA VI Singapore to offer selected Hospitality Management, Commercial Cookery and Patisserie students three-month international internships. Five batches have been sent since 2025 and participants receive an internship allowance.