Business

Sri Lanka opens up: A new season of direct connectivity

Published

1 month ago

2026/08/28

Malik J. Fernando, Chair, Tourism allianCe

For as long as we can remember, flying to Sri Lanka has meant relying on a handful of options — SriLankan Airlines direct services, useful but limited in schedule and market coverage, or a stop in Dubai, Doha, or Abu Dhabi. That is beginning to change, and this winter season marks one of the more significant shifts in our aviation connectivity.

A wave of carriers is launching direct services into Colombo and it is worth taking stock of what that means for the industry — not just as a matter of flight schedules, but as a matter of strategy.

Europe, reconnecting

British Airways returns to Colombo on 23 October, restoring a non-stop link to London Gatwick. The UK remains one of our strongest, most loyal source markets, and a direct flight removes a genuine point of friction.

Edelweiss Air, part of the Lufthansa Group, is increasing its Zurich service to three times weekly from 26 October — a route that brings with it high-spending Swiss and DACH-region traveller our wellness and upscale properties need.

And in December, French Bee launches a new seasonal service from Paris, opening a cost-conscious but committed segment of the French long-haul market.

A first for Vietnam

A notable development is the arrival of two Vietnamese carriers — Vietnam Airlines and VietJet — both launching direct Ho Chi Minh City services. This is the first time Sri Lanka has a direct link to Vietnam, and it opens a corridor of travellers who may come to see Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia as a natural pairing. Beijing Capital Airlines and Batik Air are expected to add further capacity later in the season, strengthening our reach into China and Malaysia.

The Vietnam route connects us to more than tourists. Vietnam is drawing strong foreign investment and has established itself as a major manufacturing and export hub. A direct Colombo–Ho Chi Minh City link gives us an easier way to engage with that — not only holidaymakers, but business travellers, investors, and trade delegations.

Australia, and the low-cost gap it fills

SriLankan Airlines flies non-stop to Melbourne and Sydney, so Jetstar isn’t opening a new corridor — it’s opening a new price point, the first low-cost carrier to fly non-stop between Melbourne and Colombo, operating three times weekly, year-round, on its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet, adding over 100,000 seats a year.

More than “budget”: what these new entrants actually offer

It is worth being precise about what these new services bring, because labels like “low-cost” and “seasonal” can undersell the product. Several of the low-cost and long-haul entrants in this line-up — Jetstar, VietJet, French bee among them — offer proper business-class or premium-economy-style cabins, not a basic recline seat, and all of them are flying modern, widebody aircraft.

Just as important is brand familiarity. Jetstar is a household name across Australia, French Bee It’s trusted by French travellers, and British Airways needs no introduction. Recognisable, trusted brands lower the barrier to trying a new destination. And on the loyalty side, travellers on nearly every one of these routes can redeem frequent flyer points which is a genuine draw for the kind of higher-value, repeat visitor we want more of.

The new carriers market Sri Lanka in its home country with sophistication and reach — glossy campaigns, in-flight promotion, and placement across a crowded travel marketplace reaching the audience we most want to reach.

Why this matters beyond the season

For years, the majority of our long-haul arrivals have transited through the Middle East. That has served us well, but it has also meant a meaningful share of our connectivity has depended on a region that has had its share of instability.

Direct flights change that picture. They cut travel time, appeal to time-conscious, high-value holidaymakers, and, importantly, they diversify our routes to market. This is not a case against our Gulf carrier partners, who remain vital to our connectivity. It is simply a recognition that resilience comes from diversity.

What it means for the season ahead

Securing these routes is only half the job. It now falls to us, as an industry, to support the flights — through targeted destination marketing in each of these new source markets, so that load factors and yields justify the investment these airlines have made in Sri Lanka. Several of these services are seasonal, and our task is not simply to see them through a single winter, but to build the demand that gives an airline the confidence to extend a route year-round. We should not lose sight of the fact that Sri Lanka does not have an off-season — we are a year-round destination and our marketing should say so. Getting this right is as much our responsibility as it is the airlines’.

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Business

ADB approves $100 million loan to boost skills development and jobs for youth in Sri Lanka

Published

22 hours ago

2026/10/2

Thilina Walpola

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $100 million results-based loan to help Sri Lanka transform its technical and vocational education and training (TVET) system, equip more young people with industry-relevant skills, and strengthen the country’s competitiveness and inclusive growth.

The Skills Development System Transformation Program will support the Government of Sri Lanka’s efforts in improving the quality and relevance of skills training, strengthening links between training providers and industries, and expanding employment opportunities for youth. The program will increase women’s employment opportunities in nontraditional jobs in fields including automotive technology, engineering, information and communications technology, construction, and renewable energy.

“A skilled workforce is essential to Sri Lanka’s long-term economic transformation and competitiveness,” said ADB Country Director for Sri Lanka Shannon Cowlin. “This program will help create stronger pathways from education to employment by making training more responsive to industry needs, expanding opportunities for young people and women, and ensuring that graduates have the skills required by a modern and evolving economy.”

Though Sri Lanka’s economy is recovering, it faces skills shortages in priority sectors, high youth unemployment, and low female labor force participation. Many employers report difficulty finding workers with the skills needed in a changing economy.

Aligned with the Government of Sri Lanka’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training Sector Strategic Framework 2026–2035, the nationwide program will be implemented from 2027 to 2031 and is expected to directly benefit more than 100,000 young people through improved access to quality, employment-oriented training.

Business

USD 40.84m pipeline to secure aviation fuel supplies to BIA

Published

22 hours ago

2026/10/2

Thilina Walpola

By Ifham Nizam

The government has cleared a USD 40.84 million and Rs. 8,548.75 million contract to build a dedicated aviation fuel pipeline from Muthurajawela to Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), alongside a massive new fuel storage facility with a capacity of 92,000 cubic metres.

Energy Minister Anura Karunatilaka said the project represented a major investment in strengthening the infrastructure underpinning Sri Lanka’s aviation fuel supply and ensuring more reliable fuel availability at the country’s main international airport.

‘This project will provide the infrastructure required to strengthen the reliability and continuity of aviation fuel supplies to Bandaranaike International Airport, Karunatilaka said.

The contract has been awarded to China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Company Limited, following an international competitive procurement process in which three bids were received.

The project will see a new aviation fuel storage tank complex constructed at Muthurajawela, together with the associated infrastructure required for handling and transferring aviation fuel.

Business

CSE activity up, turnover weak at Rs. 1.4 billion

Published

22 hours ago

2026/10/2

Thilina Walpola

By Hiran H Senewiratne

Trading activity on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) gathered pace yesterday as global fuel prices began to show signs of easing, according to market analysts.In this context, both indices moved upwards. All Share Price Index up by 67.97 points while S and P SL20 up by 8.30 points.

Turnover stood at Rs 1.4 billion with seven crossings. Those crossings were reported in Sampath Bank 1.7 million shares crossed to the tune of Rs 238 million and its share price traded at Rs 140, Access Engineering two million shares crossed to the tune of Rs 159 million and its share price traded at Rs 79.50, LOLC one million shares crossed to the tune of Rs 129 million and its share price traded at Rs 129, HNB 100,000 shares crossed to the tune of Rs 38.4 million and its share price traded at Rs 384, JKH 1.9 million shares crossed to the tune of Rs 35 million and its share price traded at Rs 18.60, Hayleys 100,000 shares crossed to the tune of Rs 22.50 million and its share price traded at Rs 225 and Richard Pieris 847,000 shares crossed to the tune of Rs 22 million and its share price traded at Rs 25.50.

In the retail market top seven companies that have mainly contributed to the turnover were Sampath Bank Rs 114 million (813,000 shares traded), JKH Rs 100 million (5.3 million shares traded) LB Finance Rs 49 million (325,000 shares traded), HNB Finance Rs 30 million (27 million shares traded), HNB Rs 27 million (70000 shares traded), NTB Rs 25 million (82000 shares traded ) and Lanka IOC Rs 21 million (666,000 shares traded). During the day 65 million shares volumes changed hands in 10433 transactions.

The Banking and manufacturing sector counters performed well. In the banking sector Sampath Bank let the market while manufacturing sector especially JKH also significantly performed well. With the fuel revision Land IOC also a significant stock at the floor.

Meanwhile, First Capital Treasuries said that Ramesh Schaffter resigned as a Non-Independent Non-Executive Director with effect from October 1, to facilitate the restructuring of the company’s board.

Yesterday the Central Bank announced the US Dollar rate as against rupee. The rupee was quoted flat at Rs 330.65/80 to the US dollar in the spot market , while bond yields dropped, dealers said.