The 13th Edition of Sancharaka Udawa 2026, Sri Lanka’s foremost Travel & Tourism Fair held under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre – BMICH, Colombo on Friday [15th May].

Organized by the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), the exhibition was held on 15 and 16 th of May.

The exhibition brought together over 250 exhibitors and 300+ stalls with the participation of more than 100 international agents featuring in B2B meetings, panel discussions , and workshops designed to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing.

This year’s exhibition welcomed foreign hosted buyers for the first time, creating unprecedented opportunities for local stakeholders to connect with international markets.

During the event, the Prime Minister officially opened the Exhibition Sancharaka Udawa 2026 for the public.

Addressing the occasion, the Prime Minister stated that the government’s vision is to build a sustainable, inclusive, and environmentally conscious tourism industry, while emphasizing the need for the sector to adapt to environmental, political, economic, and global challenges. The Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of positioning Sri Lanka competitively in the global tourism arena and strengthening the country’s international brand as a unique destination.

Highlighting the importance of developing human capital and capacity within the sector, the Prime Minister underscored the role of ongoing education reforms in preparing young people for future opportunities. The Prime Minister stated that reforms in education should enable young people to access multiple pathways and gain exposure to industries such as tourism. In this regard, closer collaboration between the tourism sector and educational institutions was identified as essential.

The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of strengthening domestic tourism and improving the overall tourism experience.

Emphasizing the future development of the sector, the Prime Minister noted that close partnership and collaboration between the government and the private sector are vital to achieving sustainable progress in the tourism industry.

The opening ceremony was attended by Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Ms. Aruni Ranaraja, Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Nalin Jayasundera, President, SLAITO,  Buddhika Hewawasam, Chairman, SLTPB/SLTDA and representatives of Diplomatic core, agents and exhibitors.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

The Asian Development Bank is no longer treating digitalisation as a secondary development theme. Increasingly, the bank views digital infrastructure as the economic nervous system of Asia’s future growth model – a strategic national asset now considered as critical to economic competitiveness as highways, ports, and power grids.

That shift carries an important message for countries like Sri Lanka: modernise digital systems rapidly or risk falling behind regional competitors.

This was among the clearest signals emerging from the 59th Annual Meeting of the ADB held in Samarkand from May 3 to 6, where digital connectivity and technology-driven growth dominated many of the bank’s strategic discussions.

The ADB is steadily repositioning itself from being primarily a traditional infrastructure lender into a major catalyst for digital transformation across Asia and the Pacific. At multiple forums in Samarkand, bank officials and sector experts repeatedly stressed that digital connectivity is no longer simply a technology issue. It is now deeply tied to productivity, governance, financial inclusion, education, healthcare, climate resilience, and regional economic integration.

A key figure driving this agenda is Antonio García Zaballos, Director of the Digital Sector Office at the ADB. Widely recognised for his expertise in telecommunications regulation and broadband policy, Zaballos emphasised that digital infrastructure should be treated as essential national infrastructure rather than a luxury service.

Under the ADB’s Strategy 2030 framework and subsequent policy reviews, digital transformation has emerged as one of Asia’s defining development priorities. The bank’s digital agenda now broadly focuses on expanding broadband access, building digital public infrastructure, supporting e-governance, promoting fintech and digital payments, strengthening cybersecurity, developing AI-ready economies, and advancing regional digital integration.

Discussions in Samarkand also highlighted a persistent reality: despite rapid mobile and internet growth across Asia, the region’s digital divide remains severe. Millions in rural communities, small businesses, and low-income populations still lack affordable and reliable digital access. For the ADB, digitalisation is therefore not merely an innovation agenda, but also an inclusion challenge.

One of the strongest indications of the bank’s ambitions came with the announcement of a regional connectivity initiative involving energy and digital infrastructure investments worth up to US$70 billion by 2035. A central component is the proposed “Asia-Pacific Digital Highway” – a major initiative aimed at expanding fibre-optic networks, satellite systems, and regional data centres.

ADB President Masato Kanda observed that energy and digital access would ‘define the region’s future,’ while emphasising that cross-border digital networks could reduce costs and widen economic opportunity across Asia and the Pacific.

Zaballos and other ADB officials also stressed the importance of regulatory modernisation, public-private partnerships, and regional coordination to build stronger broadband ecosystems. Their policy focus increasingly includes affordable internet access, cybersecurity frameworks, digital public infrastructure, cross-border data governance, and digital inclusion for underserved populations.

Another major pillar of the ADB’s strategy involves digital economy agreements and harmonised regional regulations. According to ADB research released in 2025, digital trade, AI governance, cross-border payments, and cybersecurity standards are rapidly becoming central to regional economic integration.

The bank increasingly sees fragmented digital regulations as a growing obstacle to regional commerce. As a result, it is promoting interoperable payment systems, common digital standards, regional cybersecurity cooperation, and coordinated cross-border data governance frameworks.

This has particular relevance for South Asia, where digital fragmentation still limits deeper regional trade integration.

For Sri Lanka, the implications are significant. Although the country enjoys relatively high mobile penetration and comparatively strong digital literacy, major gaps remain in rural broadband access, government digital integration, SME digitalisation, cybersecurity preparedness, and digital export competitiveness.

ADB’s growing emphasis on digital public infrastructure and regional connectivity could align closely with Sri Lanka’s ambitions to expand fintech services, IT exports, e-governance systems, and digital entrepreneurship.

The larger question now is whether policymakers – particularly the Ministry of Digital Economy – can move quickly enough to position Sri Lanka within this rapidly evolving regional digital architecture. In Asia’s next development cycle, digital readiness may well determine which economies move ahead – and which are left struggling to catch up.

By Sanath Nanayakkare

Nations Trust Bank PLC (NTB) commenced the financial year on a positive note, delivering a strong performance for the three months ended 31st March 2026, with a Profit After Tax (PAT) of LKR 4.6Bn, marking a 12% yearonyear increase. The results were supported by steady asset growth, stable Net Interest Margins (NIMs), and prudent risk management, reflected in a low Net Stage 3 Ratio of 1.10%. A robust capital position further supported the Bank’s performance, with Return on Equity (ROE) reaching 18.98%, indicating the Bank’s continued momentum and a positive outlook for growth in the year ahead.

Nations Trust Bank, Director and Chief Executive Officer, Hemantha Gunetilleke, stated,

“The Bank’s performance in 1Q 2026 highlights its strength and the progress of its strategy as we move into the next phase of growth. This is reflected in the expansion of our loan book and our continued focus on supporting customers across consumer, commercial and corporate segments. In doing so, the Bank has contributed to broader economic growth in Sri Lanka, supporting investment and expansion across key sectors. As we further strengthen our capital and liquidity positions, we remain focused on delivering value through high service standards, improved digital capabilities, and a strong customer focus.”