Monday 26th February, 2024 Sri Lanka is a nation in the hara-kiri mode. It needs no enemies; it has become its worst enemy. It continues to maintain a bunch of failed, corrupt politicians and their bureaucratic lackeys responsible for ruining the economy and hell-bent on degrading vital national assets which they are planning to dispose […]

State Tourism Minister Diana Gamage says that Night Life Concept can boost the revenue of the tourism industry by 70 percent as nightlife plays a crucial role in catering to the needs of tourists, adding this applies not only to beach resorts but also urban centres like Colombo. Speaking at a press conference themed ‘Collective […]

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya spoke to WION’s diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal on the sidelines of Raisina Dialogue 2024 in New Delhi.Balasuriya weighed in on several issues ranging from the India-Lanka relationship, Colombo’s ties with China, tourism, Unified Payments Interface (UPI), and more. While speaking on China, Balasuriya said that “both countries [&...

By Rathindra Kuruwita Until Sri Lanka has access to international money markets, which will allow it to ensure there are no short-term dollar shortages, relaxing the restrictions on vehicle imports is out of the question, Professor in Economics at the Department of Economics at Colombo University, Dr. Priyanga Dunusinghe, said. Even then, relaxing vehicle imports […]

Minister of State for Tourism  Diana Gamage acknowledged that events that emanated noise should be conducted within a soundproof environment without causing any inconvenience or disturbance to other tourists who are here to relax, residents of the area and other businesses inasmuch its necessity to boost the economy by generating revenue. She made this comment […]

Following Iranian FM’s visit The Foreign Ministry said yesterday that Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, during high level meetings in Colombo this week, expressed hope that with this trip, the bilateral ties in all fields, including political, economic, commercial, and tourism, would be expanded. Amirabdollahian was here at the official invitation of the Sri Lankan […]

The Minister of Tourism, Harin Fernando, has stated that the Sri Lankan Government will be handing over the operation of Mattala International, Ratmalana International and Colombo International Airports to India. He has added that Sri Lanka is a part of India! Has he lost his senses? Separately, should it not be the role of the […]

I became the first person to officially transact using UPI in Sri Lanka on February 12th 2024. In the presence of three heads of states/ governments. Leaders of India, Sri Lanka and Mauritius watched the transaction and celebrated its success with applause. So what is UPI ? How does it benefit indian consumers, merchants and […]

Indian media has reported that Sri Lanka’s minister for tourism,  sports, and youth affairs, Harin Fernando, who is attending the OTM travel show in Mumbai,  said that the Adani Group is negotiating with Sri Lankan authorities to manage three airports in the island nation, including its premier international gateway, Bandarnaike International Airport in Colombo. Other […]

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said in Parliamenty yesterday he was aware that Value Added Tax (VAT) was a burden on the public. He said it would be possible to reduce VAT with the passage of time. Delivering the government policy statement at the commencement of the new session of Parliament, the President said: “The prior scarcity […]

Inaugurating the 5th session of the 9th Parliament of Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe called upon all lawmakers to collaborate in nation building  even though they would be contesting elections separately. “From ancient times to the present day, our world has encountered a myriad of crises, spanning nations and personal lives alike. While some crises […]

The ‘Centre of Excellence’ at the Dambulla Stadium, a significant milestone in the “National Cricket Development Pathway” program aimed at providing equal opportunities to talented Sri Lankan cricketers was inaugurated on Monday (05). The event, chaired by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, showcased his commitment to fostering the growth of cricket in the country. President Wickremesinghe, unveiling...

ECONOMYNEXT –An Indian firm is in the process of getting permission to manage Sri Lanka’s three airports including the main Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) where the there is an over saturation in foreign tourists, Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said. The island nation is expecting 2.2 million tourists for 2024, but the main airport needs capacity […]

Cathay Pacific has resumed flights to Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd said that the inaugural flight Airbus 330-300 touched down at BIA on Thursday (1) night. Cathay Pacific suspended operations in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Beginning this week there would be Cathay Pacific flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays […]

Minister of Tourism, Lands, Sports and Youth Affairs  Harin Fernando has announced that the 2024 Annual General meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC) will be held in  Sri Lanka from 19 to 22nd July.