Offices in Colombo, Sri Lanka and Israel
Insights
Economic updates, summits and opportunities from Sri Lanka.
Travel & visas
Ten days is enough for a balanced route from Colombo to Kandy and tea country, then a safari and a finish on the south coast. Seven days means a conscious cut — usually fewer beach days or skipping a region — and should be built around the season, not as a race between sights.
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There is no single “best” month for the whole island. December–March is especially comfortable for the south and west coasts; July–September suits the east coast and safari. October is usually the least settled month. Build the route around the region, not only the departure date from Israel.
Read moreTravel & visas
A business visit to Colombo can grow into a few tour days — Sigiriya and Kandy, tea country, or the south coast — without turning the whole week into back-to-back meetings. Keep a recovery day after the flight, cluster meetings in Colombo or Port City, and plan the touring days in a single stretch, matched to the season.
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You can travel in Sri Lanka while keeping kosher and Shabbat, but you cannot rely on a restaurant being available in every resort town. Chabad houses on the island offer Shabbat meals and kosher food, yet opening hours change and must be confirmed in advance. Tour operators who work with Israeli travellers can also build a private itinerary with suitable lodging and pre-ordered meals.
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From 25 May 2026, Israeli nationals are among 40 countries eligible for a free 30-day tourist visa (ETA), according to the official ETA portal and the Department of Immigration. An ETA must still be obtained before arrival. Fees paid before that date are not refundable. A stay beyond 30 days requires a paid extension at the official rate then in force.
Read moreEnergy
The Government of Sri Lanka, through the Petroleum Development Authority of Sri Lanka (PDASL), is running the 2026 offshore licensing round (SL2026-01). Four exploration blocks in the Mannar Basin, totalling about 33,964 km², are on offer to qualified energy companies. As published, bids are due by 2 February 2027.
Read moreEconomic update
On 12 November 2026, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake presented the 2027 budget, including a new Treasury-owned investment promotion agency, an Investment Protection Bill, and a proposed optional 200% enhanced capital allowance, proposed to take effect from 1 April 2027, for qualifying Board of Investment projects of at least USD 3 million in export-oriented manufacturing or tourism.
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On 12 November 2026, WindForce PLC reported strong first-half results and a series of renewable-energy milestones: financial close for the 100 MW Rividhanavi solar park, commissioning of a floating solar plant and five battery-storage facilities, and a development pipeline of more than 240 MW. The company also drew the first tranche of an International Finance Corporation loan.
Read morePort City Colombo
The Colombo Port City Economic Commission told Parliament in mid-October 2026 that primary investments across nine leased land parcels had reached USD 1.12 billion, even as five earlier project proposals had been withdrawn. Later reporting on a group of 68 secondary businesses of strategic importance put their five-year investment commitments at about USD 166.87 million. Construction is under way on several sites, including the marina and the first phase of the Colombo International Financial Centre.
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Sri Lanka recorded its highest October tourist arrivals on record in 2026, welcoming 168,625 visitors, according to figures from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority reported on 3 November. Cumulative arrivals in the first ten months passed 1.86 million, though that total was still 1.5% below the same period a year earlier, and the rise in visitor numbers has not yet translated into higher tourism earnings.
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In mid-October 2026 two Board of Investment agreements advanced manufacturing projects near Horana: Zydus Sunshine Lifesciences signed on 13 October to build a pharmaceutical plant with a phased investment of more than USD 20 million, and HDDES Extracts signed a supplementary agreement on 16 October unlocking a USD 26.3 million spice-processing investment in Ingiriya.
Read moreEconomic update
On 4 October 2026, IMF staff and the Sri Lankan authorities reached staff-level agreement on the seventh review of the Extended Fund Facility programme. If the IMF Executive Board approves the review, Sri Lanka would have access to about USD 345 million. Approval remains subject to the 2027 budget being presented in line with programme parameters, and to a financing assurances review.
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On 30 September 2026, Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister inaugurated the USD 750 million Phase II expansion of Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT). The project doubles the terminal’s capacity from 1.6 million to 3.2 million TEUs and is intended to strengthen Colombo’s role as an Indian Ocean transshipment hub.
Read moreEconomic update
On 22 September 2026, Fitch Ratings upgraded Sri Lanka’s Long-Term Issuer Default Ratings to B- from CCC+, with a Stable outlook, citing macro-stabilisation, improved fiscal and external balances, and a modest rebuilding of foreign-exchange reserves. The agency still flags high public debt and thin reserve buffers relative to peers.
Read moreTravel & visas
Sri Lanka’s Department of Immigration and Emigration is granting a free 7-day visa extension to foreign nationals unable to leave because of flight cancellations to Middle East destinations from 28 February 2026. The extension runs for seven days from the date the current visa expires.
Read moreEconomic update
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce’s January 2026 economic update shows 5.3% GDP growth in Q3 2025, a 7.75% policy rate, USD 6.8B in reserves, 2.1% inflation and record remittances, alongside recovery from Cyclone Ditwah, which caused an estimated USD 4.1B in direct damage.
Read moreEvents
The Northern Investment Summit 2026 (NIS26), organised by The Management Club, took place on 21–22 January 2026 at the Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre in Jaffna, showcasing bankable projects, new incentives and investment-ready opportunities in agriculture, fisheries, tourism and renewable energy across the Northern Province.
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The Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2025 (SLEIS 2025), organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, took place on 2–3 December 2025 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo, with keynote speakers from the World Bank, IFC, APM Terminals, the AFC Asia Frontier Fund, Intrepid Travel and the Board of Investment.
Read moreEconomic update
4.9% GDP growth in Q2 2025 (eight consecutive quarters of growth), 1.2% inflation, record July exports of USD 1.3B, USD 6.2B in reserves and an S&P upgrade to CCC+ with a stable outlook on 19 September 2025.
Read morePort City Colombo
Port City Colombo won “Best Knowledge Zone – Asia-Pacific” and a sustainability commendation in fDi Intelligence’s Global Free Zones of the Year 2025, published by the Financial Times.
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