Business
Sri Lanka Tourism continues to earn high media coverage at EXPO 2020 Dubai

Travel Trade Business Forum and B2B meetings with tourism operators a success
World renowned treasure ‘Blue Sapphires’ on display at ‘Day of the Sapphire’
Singing sensation ‘Yohani’ adds to destination Sri Lanka allure
Sri Lanka Tourism partners with ‘Emirates Airlines’ for joint promotions
Destination Sri Lanka stood out last week, on the 3rd, 4th and 5th March at Expo 2020 Dubai, with four planned events earning high global media coverage. Sri Lanka Tourism is proud to announce, the total earned media exposure from this global event, which will conclude at the end of March after running for a period for six months, to be in the range of over USD 2 million, exceeding all expectations.
A high level delegation led by Prasanna Ranatunga, Minister of Tourism Sri Lanka, Malraj De Silva, Sri Lankan Ambassador to UAE, Nalinda Wijerathna, Sri Lanka Consulate General Dubai and Kimarli Fernando, Chairperson, Sri Lanka Tourism were at Expo 2020 and met industry persons at the highest level of representation. ‘Sri Lanka Tourism-Expo Travel Trade Business to Business Forum’ was on 3rd March at the Business Connect Centre, Abu Dhabi Hall with the participation of local tour operators and of over 45 UAE and Gulf based international tour operators. Ms Fernando made a destination pitch at this forum showcasing different facets of destination Sri Lanka and the way forward for Sri Lanka tourism, which was received with enthusiasm both by industry players and the global media
Yohani sings ‘You are my Paradise’
Social media sensation,‘Yohani’stood out as attracting the largest crowd,todate, to the Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre on the evening of 5th March. In the presence of over 2000 in the audience, Yohani passionately sang -‘Sri Lanka you are my paradise’ a song of positivity on Mother Lanka,to a bewitched audience which received the song with thunderous applause. Her authentic and unique style and her genuine love for her country captivated the audience and earned her rave reviews, making her the phenomenal youtube sensation that she is. Performing alongside ‘Yohani’ were Sri Lankan super stars Tehani Imara, Dinugi Herath and long standing brand ambassador for Sri Lanka Tourism, Alston Koch opening the evening’s performance with the climate action song ‘Sri Lanka Earth Lung’- a song dedicated specially to creating awareness on ‘climate change’ were all received with applause. Adding colour and vibrancy to the evening was the fusion dance performance by the Upuli Channa Dance Foundation.
‘Day of the Sapphire’
The ‘Day of the Sapphire Exhibition’ was also held on Saturday, 26th February 2022 at the Sri Lanka Pavilion, and the spotlight was on a long known Sri Lankan treasure – the globally acclaimed blue sapphire among a dazzling display of sapphires worth over a $100 million being exhibited. This included the Kufic Arabic a gem known to be over a thousand years old and originating from the 10th Century. Renowned jewellery specialist Helen Molesworth lead a walk-through of the exhibition, explaining the importance of each gemstone and its relevance to Sri Lanka.”Sri Lanka has not only produced gemstones of remarkable quality and variety, but has done so consistently over millennia, a testament to the continual global importance of the true ‘Island of Gems’,” she said.”The island’s most famous and revered gems are the sapphires of Sri Lanka, rightly so as much today as throughout history.”I am honoured to be part of this wonderful showcase of Sri Lanka’s finest sapphires – these miracles of nature from one of the most beautiful places on Earth.” Ms Molesworth said.
MOU with Emirates Airlines
Signing of the MOU with Emirates Airlines ensuring connectivity with Sri Lanka and other global destinations took place on Friday the 4thMarch at the Emirates Headquarters, making it a significant partnership of value to both parties. Emirates Airlines is an ever constant supporter of travel and tourism in Sri Lanka, especially during the height of the pandemic, ensuring connectivity with the destination and enabling the travel and tourism industry to survive and thrive.This MOU will further consolidate the relationship and build greater goodwill, facilitating integrated and aggressive joint promotions of tourism activity with a special focus on the Middle Eastern Market, a strategic tourism market for Sri Lanka. Renewing over 35 years of goodwill between Sri Lanka Tourism and Emirates Airlines. Ahmed Khoory, SVP Commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean of Emirates Airlines, and Kimarli Fernando, Chairperson of Sri Lanka Tourism, were signatories to this venture.
Talking about the events, Chairperson Fernando says, ‘We are a small pavilion compared to other countries but the media attention and buzz we were able to create within the expo global village is amazing and we were able to beautifully capture this attention and convert into earned media publicity. This is an enormous gain for the country given the strain due to forex needs for planned promotions. So we very successfully navigate around our constraints and take the destination to the world through strategic media exposure and this was particularly so at Expo 2020 Dubai”
Business
DFCC Bank and Ceylon Chamber of Commerce forge strategic partnership

DFCC Bank PLC has entered a partnership with The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, to formally integrate Ceylon Chamber-led macroeconomic and sectoral intelligence into its service model. This strategic collaboration is set to enhance both internal expertise and client-facing value, reinforcing DFCC Bank’s position as the most insight-driven and customer-aligned bank in the country.
By harnessing the Ceylon Chamber’s deep research capabilities, DFCC Bank will gain privileged access to quarterly macroeconomic outlooks, sector-specific insights, and dynamic market intelligence. These deliverables will inform decision-making across the organisation—from strategy formulation to client advisory—ensuring DFCC Bank teams remain ahead of the curve in responding to economic developments and customer needs.
Through this partnership, the Ceylon Chamber will provide briefings on key economic indicators such as GDP performance, inflation trends, policy shifts, and global economic movements, alongside industry analyses tailored to DFCC Bank’s client sectors. These insights will not only serve internal capability-building but also enhance client conversations—offering DFCC Bank customers access to curated intelligence through strategic reviews and presentations.
Thimal Perera, CEO of DFCC Bank, commented:
“As we sharpen our focus on delivering value beyond banking, this collaboration with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce gives us and our clients a distinct advantage. Timely economic insights and sector intelligence will strengthen the relevance and depth of our engagements – enabling us to support customers with more informed, responsive financial solutions that align with the realities they face.”
Buwanekabahu Perera, Secretary General and CEO of the Ceylon Chamber stated:
“Our goal is to take economic intelligence beyond boardrooms and make it practical and actionable for businesses. Partnering with DFCC Bank allows us to do exactly that, by ensuring that insights translate into better advice, faster decisions, and stronger outcomes for businesses.”
The official signing of the Memorandum of Understanding took place on 12 June 2025, symbolising a shared vision for smarter financial ecosystems in Sri Lanka.
Business
Spring board to ‘unleashing a new era in start-up driven growth’

In an impassioned call to action, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Chathuranga Abeysinghe, declared that Sri Lanka was ready to “unleash a new era of startup-driven growth, as he kicked off the prelude to Disrupt Asia 2025 — a four-day mega-event that aspires to redefine the nation’s digital economy and transform it into South Asia’s next innovation hub.
“We are no longer waiting for the future. We are building it, right here, starting now, said Abeysinghe. “With Disrupt Asia, we aim to place Sri Lanka firmly on the map as a gateway to South Asia, the Gulf, and Southeast Asia for global investors, innovators and disruptors.”
Scheduled to run from September 17–20 in Colombo, Disrupt Asia 2025 is more than just another tech event. Backed by the Ministry of Digital Economy and the ICT Agency (ICTA), the platform is being positioned as the national accelerator for startups and innovation—bringing together universities, industry leaders, policymakers, investors, and the general public into one unified ecosystem.
The event is anchored in Sri Lanka’s broader ambition to grow its digital economy from a current estimated transaction volume of USD 3–5 billion to USD 15 billion by 2030. To achieve this, the government is rolling out a multi-pronged strategy: a USD 50 million Fund of Funds to boost venture capital availability, the creation of a Virtual Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and new equity pathways for startups through the Colombo Stock Exchange.
Deputy Minister Abeysinghe noted that the government was working with financial advisory firm KPMG to address longstanding taxation and regulatory hurdles, including the double taxation of venture capital funds and limited frameworks for foreign co-founders.
“These policies are no longer in the shadows, he stressed. “They are being debated, fixed and aligned so that startups can thrive in a globally competitive landscape.”
Heminda Jayaweera, Executive Director at TRACE Sri Lanka, the ecosystem partner and host of the Innovation Festival on September 19, called the event “a confluence of creativity, code, and capital.”
TRACE Expert City will host more than 50 interactive product demos, themed exhibitions spanning HealthTech, AgriTech, FinTech, AI, Tourism, and GovTech, and immersive installations aimed at both the general public and young innovators.
Jayaweera emphasized the importance of creating an “incubation ground” that serves not just the tech elite, but also students, small-town entrepreneurs, and policymakers. “This is where ideas collide and evolve,” he said. “It’s where we disrupt the status quo.”
Sandun Hapugoda, Country Manager of Mastercard Sri Lanka and Maldives, added a private sector perspective to the conversation. “This is not just another tech expo, he said. “It’s a serious commitment to transform Sri Lanka into a digitally inclusive, investor-attractive economy.”
Mastercard’s participation as a strategic partner underscores the importance of collaboration in achieving these goals. “Innovation doesn’t happen in silos, Hapugoda noted. “We are working with entrepreneurs, policymakers, and financiers to build scalable solutions.”
Mastercard’s support extends to FinTech integrations, digital commerce enablement, and cybersecurity solutions — all crucial building blocks for a vibrant digital economy.
Prajeeth Balasubramaniam, Managing Partner at BOV Capital and founder of LAN, said the platform was already working to secure listings for at least two promising startups on the Colombo Stock Exchange. “Equity is not a foreign concept. We’re just late adopters. But now, we’re building the runway, he said.
Disrupt Asia 2025 will also host a “Sundowner Cultural Showcase” that celebrates Sri Lanka’s creative and artisanal identity. Featuring curated culinary offerings from Asaya Sands, gem exhibitions, and artisanal tastings, the event aims to build a bridge between innovation and tradition.
“This is more than a networking mixer, said event curator Ruwani Fernando. “It’s a statement. Sri Lanka is a land of both ancient wisdom and future-focused solutions.”
By Ifham Nizam
Business
Sampath Bank pioneers SL’s standardised API banking platform, redefining transaction banking

Sampath Bank has set a new milestone as the first bank in Sri Lanka to launch a standardised Application Programming Interface (API) platform. This revolutionary move redefines corporate banking by simplifying and automating intricate financial processes for businesses of all sizes, reflecting the Bank’s steadfast commitment to providing agile, technology-driven solutions for its expanding base of corporate and SME clients.
API banking fundamentally transforms traditional banking by exposing core functions and data as web services accessible to third-party applications. This approach creates a more interconnected and flexible ecosystem that enhances convenience, encourages innovation and improves efficiency in delivering and consuming financial services.
The new platform empowers businesses to seamlessly integrate Sampath Bank’s core banking capabilities into their internal Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. This integration supports faster supplier payments, streamlined collections, real-time balance inquiries and trade-related transactions, while maintaining established approval chains and audit controls inherent in corporate systems.
Driven by a deep understanding of digitalisation’s transformative potential, the development of this platform aims to empower corporate decision-makers by saving time and increasing visibility across financial operations. As Mr. Sanjaya Gunawardane, Chief Strategy Officer at Sampath Bank, explains, “There is no longer a need to spend hours managing physical payments or manually reconciling bank records. This platform empowers businesses, enabling them to configure, validate and execute transactions securely through a single interface. Our goal was to deliver an end-to-end solution that not only boosts efficiency but also transforms the overall banking experience. This is part of our ongoing commitment to introducing cutting-edge technologies to reshape the Sri Lankan business landscape.”
Addressing a critical challenge in financial supply chain management, this innovation offers companies a suite of ready-to-integrate APIs, automated testing tools and rapid onboarding processes that make it possible to go live within days rather than weeks.
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