News & market updates

Sri Lanka's economy expanded 5.0% in 2025, with GDP at constant prices rising to Rs. 13,128,577 million. Industry led growth at 7.8% while services grew 3.3% and agriculture 1.4%; authorities cited easing interest rates, a relatively stable exchange rate and stronger construction, manufacturing, financial services, IT and tourism activity.

President Dissanayake said about 30 private firms have been given temporary licences to import fuel in US dollars to directly supply exporters and the tourism sector; he added LP gas, fertiliser and grain stocks are sufficient and delayed crude shipments (two of 90,000t) are expected soon, averting a crisis.

Sri Lanka's economy expanded 5.0% in 2025, with Q4 growth slowing to 4.8% (from 5.4% in Q3). Industry led the expansion (7.8%) driven by construction, mining and manufacturing, while services grew 3.3% and agriculture 1.4%.

Citrus Leisure PLC graduated 18 students from its Citrus School of Hotel Management, a six-month CSR training programme completed on 15 January 2026, with the graduation ceremony held 25 February 2026. The initiative aims to ease financial barriers and address manpower shortages in Sri Lanka's hospitality sector and may be continued.

NPCI International plans to integrate UPI in Sri Lanka so Indian tourists can pay by scanning LankaQR at merchants, with facilities already available at Cinnamon Hotels and Keells; NIPL has also discussed scaling UPI with the Central Bank.

Table by Nyne – The Beach is a beachfront restaurant at Nyne Hotels' Anuprit in Bentota offering walk-in coastal dining with seafood, grilled specialties, a notable plant-forward/vegan menu and a curated beverage program for sundowners and dinner.

SriLankan Airlines warned customers about social media scams impersonating the airline, advising that it will never request payments, OTPs, credit card or bank details via social channels and urging verification of offers via www.srilankan.com or the airline's verified accounts.

Chokolaate and The Shoppes at City of Dreams hosted "Celebrate the Hustle" on 8 March 2026, an International Women’s Day event featuring an Aspiring Entrepreneurs session with Chamathka and Parfumarie and brand activations including Basilur Tea and Zam Gems.

Sri Lanka will allow private firms to import and sell fuel in US dollars for the export and tourism sectors to ease shortages; about 30 businesses have registered and can begin supplying fuel from tomorrow.

British Airways will launch three-times-weekly London Gatwick–Colombo flights from 23 October 2026 as part of its winter 2026 network expansion. The move accompanies the addition of Melbourne and frequency increases on several leisure routes, plus short-term extra flights to Bangkok and Singapore.

CBSL PMIs show expansion: Manufacturing PMI rose to 56.8 in February (from 56.1 in January) and Services PMI was 54.4 (down from 64.5), with a positive three‑month outlook ahead of festive demand but supply‑chain risks cited due to Middle East conflicts.

The Ceylon Chamber urged the government to temporarily limit non-essential foreign currency outflows and allow licensed bunkering firms to procure fuel independently, potentially in foreign currency, to protect exports and tourism amid the Middle East crisis. It also recommended prioritising IMF tranche continuity, dynamic fuel pricing, faster fuel and fertiliser procurement, and measures to support tourism and trade efficiency.

Government declared Wednesdays a weekly holiday for public sector employees effective tomorrow (18) to reduce fuel consumption; essential services (healthcare, ports, water, customs) are exempt and four committees will oversee energy and key sectors. Private sector asked to follow where feasible and state events suspended.

Sri Lanka services PMI fell to 54.4 in Feb 2026 from 64.5 in January, still indicating expansion. Growth was driven by professional and personal services, with accommodation, food & beverage and education expanding and employment rising.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the government will implement energy-management measures, including a QR system for daily fuel allocations, to ensure uninterrupted economic activity and essential services amid disruptions from the Middle East conflict; a committee was tasked to report required fuel allocations by end of today.

NPCI International has expanded UPI merchant acceptance in Sri Lanka, enabling Indian tourists to pay via LankaQR at major outlets including Cinnamon Hotels and Keells Supermarket to simplify cross-border digital payments and boost tourism-related spending.

John Keells Hotels PLC was named overall Winner of the Tourism & Leisure category at the TAGS Awards 2026 and received the Silver Award in the Hotel Sector (Group Assets above Rs. 10 billion). Trans Asia Hotels PLC won Gold in the Hotel Sector (Group Assets up to Rs. 10 billion) and Asian Hotels & Properties PLC received the Bronze in the above-Rs. 10 billion category.

Entrepreneurs’ Organisation held its Presidents’ Meeting in Colombo (5–8 Feb 2026) with over 300 attendees from 79 chapters, generating hotel bookings and a short-term boost to Colombo’s visitor economy and business tourism.

Santani, a Sri Lankan wellness retreat, is included in the 2026 Oscars nominee 'Everyone Wins' gift bag — valued at about $350,000 — offering a ten-day restorative reset in Sri Lanka.

Ceylon Chamber urged the Government to adopt measures to safeguard economic stability, prioritising continuation of the IMF programme and timely tranches. It recommended fuel measures (dynamic pricing, QR system, faster procurement), securing fertilizer and aviation fuel, prioritising FX for critical imports, and bolstering tourism, exporters and port clearance.

Tourism earnings fell 4.4% YoY to $352m in February despite a record 279,328 arrivals; February revenue was down 7.5% month-on-month and YTD tourism FX totaled $730.3m (-4.9% YoY).

Arutha Research warns the Middle East war risks Sri Lanka’s energy, food, exports and remittances — the UAE supplies about 38% of petroleum imports and CPC says fuel stocks cover roughly one month. Middle Eastern markets buy $852m (≈7%) of exports and Gulf countries provide about 38% of remittance inflows.

Colombo Stock Exchange fell sharply as the ASPI dropped 3.47% (753.29 pts) to 20,939.26 and the S&P SL20 fell 3.17% to 5,891.67, with major decliners including John Keells, Dialog Axiata, Commercial Bank, HNB and DFCC. Siyapatha Finance, a Sampath Bank subsidiary, received CSE approval in principle to list Rs.3.75bn of 11.50% debentures.

City of Dreams Sri Lanka has launched a special Waleema wedding package starting at LKR 9,900++ per person, available for bookings until April 30, 2026. The offering covers multiple event venues with capacities from 60 to 500+ guests and a curated menu centered on a signature biryani.

Samsung's HU8000F Hospitality TV series (43"–85") positions in-room TVs as integrated platforms for hotels, combining 4K HDR picture, built-in streaming (Google Cast, AirPlay), Tizen-based apps, Samsung LYNK Cloud remote management and Knox security to streamline guest services and operations.

Aitken Spence PLC's travel arm, Aitken Spence Travels, has achieved Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certification, an internationally recognized sustainability benchmark. The company says the certification verifies sustainability practices across its operations and supply chain and aligns with the wider group’s strategy.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka will host the 2026 National Labour Law Symposium on 23 March at Cinnamon Life, convening legal, policy and industry stakeholders to discuss labour law reform, digital-era employment, statutory obligations and dispute resolution.

CA Sri Lanka held a forum warning that prolonged Middle East instability could spike oil prices and disrupt remittances, tourism and tea exports, raising inflation, exchange-rate volatility and risks to the banking/financial sector.

Sri Lanka was awarded 'Destination of the Year — Diverse Island Experiences' at ITB Berlin 2026 and showcased its tourism offerings with a 72-member delegation and B2B/consumer engagement during March 3–5.

LOLC Securities' Investor Forum said a sovereign credit rating upgrade could attract foreign inflows as CSE market capitalisation rose to about Rs.7.6 trillion (from Rs.2.9 trillion in 2022). The forum highlighted stabilised macro fundamentals, recovering exports and tourism, and sectoral opportunities in finance, construction and export-oriented industries.