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Royal Palms Beach Hotel, Kalutara once again proved its place among Sri Lanka’s finest, securing a Merit Award in the Hospitality and Tourism category at the National Business Excellence Awards 2025 (NBEA). This marks its third recognition at the NBEA, following a category win in 2024 and a Merit Award in 2018 under the same category. The National Business Excellence Awards (NBEA), organised by the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka, is the country’s premier benchmark competition, recognising outstanding organisational performance for the past two decades. This prestigious platform honours businesses that demonstrate global standards of excellence, inspiring continuous improvement while contributing to Sri Lanka’s socio-economic progress. The NBEA’s evaluation framework (the NBEA Excellence Model) assesses enterprises across multiple dimensions, including corporate governance, capacity building, performance management, global and local market reach, corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability, and business and financial results. Its rigorous and transparent process ensures that winners truly represent the pinnacle of quality, innovation, and sustainable business practices.

SriLankan Airlines has been named the ‘Best Airline for South Asia’ at the recently held International Tourism Conclave and Travel Awards in Delhi, India, cementing its position at the pinnacle of the region’s aviation landscape. The award honours SriLankan’s expansive, next-level network connecting South Asia to the world, its signature Sri Lankan hospitality and the meaningful connections it fosters with travellers across the region, as recognised by a distinguished panel of judges and jury members.

With nearly 90 weekly flights linking India to Colombo and beyond, SriLankan Airlines offers multiple daily connections from key metro cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru, along with strong connectivity from Tier two cities. The airline operates eight weekly flights from Tiruchirappalli, proudly holding the distinction of being the first international carrier to serve the city.

India is Sri Lanka’s single largest tourism source market, accounting for about one-fifth of the total inbound traffic to the island, underscoring the commercial and cultural significance of India to SriLankan Airlines, which holds market leadership on routes connecting Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai with Colombo.

SriLankan Airlines serves South Asia with spacious wide-body and narrow-body Airbus aircraft, offering both Business and Economy Class cabins. Passengers can look forward to a fusion of regional cuisine and global flavours, including the airline’s award-winning Sri Lankan cuisine. They can also relax with an extensive selection of movies, music and more, while enjoying the warmth of true Sri Lankan hospitality as they travel.

Source: https://aviationvoice.lk/srilankan-airlines-named-best-airline-for-south-asia-at-international-tourism-conclave-and-travel-awards/

Sri Lanka has expanded its visa-fee waiver to 40 countries in a bid to boost tourist arrivals. While the initiative is expected to result in an annual revenue loss of around USD 66 million, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath expressed confidence that the increase in tourism-related income will offset the shortfall.

Here is the full list of countries now eligible for free-visa to Sri Lanka.
(* Indicates countries already under the earlier visa waiver scheme.)

1.⁠ ⁠United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2.⁠ ⁠Federal Republic of Germany
3.⁠ ⁠Kingdom of the Netherlands
4.⁠ ⁠The Kingdom of Belgium
5.⁠ ⁠The Kingdom of Spain
6.⁠ ⁠The Commonwealth of Australia
7.⁠ ⁠Republic of Poland
8.⁠ ⁠The Republic of Kazakhstan
9.⁠ ⁠The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
10.⁠ ⁠The United Arab Emirates
11.⁠ ⁠Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
12.⁠ ⁠People’s Republic of China *
13.⁠ ⁠The Republic of India *
14.⁠ ⁠The Republic of Indonesia *
15.⁠ ⁠The Russian Federation *
16.⁠ ⁠The Kingdom of Thailand *
17.⁠ ⁠The Federation of Malaya *
18.⁠ ⁠Japan *
19.⁠ ⁠Republic of France
20.⁠ ⁠United States of America
21.⁠ ⁠Canada
22.⁠ ⁠Czech Republic (Czechia)
23.⁠ ⁠Republic of Italy
24.⁠ ⁠Swiss Confederation (Switzerland)
25.⁠ ⁠Republic of Austria
26.⁠ ⁠State of Israel
27.⁠ ⁠Republic of Belarus
28.⁠ ⁠Islamic Republic of Iran
29.⁠ ⁠Kingdom of Sweden
30.⁠ ⁠Republic of Finland
31.⁠ ⁠Kingdom of Denmark
32.⁠ ⁠Republic of Korea
33.⁠ ⁠State of Qatar
34.⁠ ⁠Sultanate of Oman
35.⁠ ⁠Kingdom of Bahrain
36.⁠ ⁠New Zealand
37.⁠ ⁠State of Kuwait
38.⁠ ⁠Kingdom of Norway
39.⁠ ⁠Republic of Türkiye
40.⁠ ⁠Pakistan

Source: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VajTmwiHLHQc0KtJPl0z

The Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) has announced that a new system for issuing temporary driving licenses to tourists arriving in Sri Lanka will be launched at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake starting in August.

Commissioner General of the DMT, Kamal Amarasinghe, stated that the program is currently in its final stages of implementation.

He further noted that several legal procedures related to the initiative are being finalized, and once completed, the system will be operational.

Under this new program, temporary driving licenses will be issued for durations of either 14 or 30 days, he said.

Additionally, Amarasinghe mentioned that tourists who intend to stay in the country for an extended period will have the option of obtaining a regular driving license, valid for up to eight years.

Source: http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=110613

A recent BBC Travel feature highlighted how a homegrown Sri Lankan start-up TukTuk Rental is reshaping the island’s tourism landscape and creating new income streams for local families.The company allows international travellers to hire and legally drive tuk-tuks across Sri Lanka, offering a slower and more immersive alternative to traditional tourism.

Since its launch in 2016, the Katunayake based social enterprise has worked with over 750 local tuk-tuk drivers, helping them to collectively earn around Rs. 300 million.

Founded by Australian Thomas Cornish and his partners, TukTuk Rental grew despite major setbacks including the Easter Sunday attacks and COVID-19 pandemic.

Tourists are offered driving lessons and local licenses, and the vehicles come with insurance and support services. Travellers from countries such as Canada and the UK have praised the experience for offering them a deeper connection to the country.

As the BBC notes, the company’s success lies in its ability to blend adventure, community benefits and authentic cultural exchanges.

The company allows international travellers to hire and legally drive tuk-tuks across Sri Lanka, offering a slower and more immersive alternative to traditional tourism.

Since its launch in 2016, the Katunayake based social enterprise has worked with over 750 local tuk-tuk drivers, helping them to collectively earn around Rs. 300 million.

Founded by Australian Thomas Cornish and his partners, TukTuk Rental grew despite major setbacks including the Easter Sunday attacks and COVID-19 pandemic.

Tourists are offered driving lessons and local licenses, and the vehicles come with insurance and support services. Travellers from countries such as Canada and the UK have praised the experience for offering them a deeper connection to the country.

As the BBC notes, the company’s success lies in its ability to blend adventure, community benefits and authentic cultural exchanges.

Spain is one of the fastest growing summer markets for Sri Lanka Tourism. The Spanish market is being focused on this year in consideration of market trends and the increase in popularity of Sri Lanka. This social media influencer FAM trip was organised as part of Sri Lanka Tourism’s strategy to promote and market Sri Lanka as a preferred destination in the Spanish market.

A group of social media influencers arrived in Sri Lanka on an invitation extended by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and the Sri Lanka Embassy in France on 30 May, concluding the trip on 6 June. While exploring Sri Lanka, the influencers shared the highlights of their journey through digital and social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. The group toured various iconic locations including Sigiriya, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Polonnaruwa, Colombo, and Bentota.

Amaya Resorts & Spas proudly celebrates the exceptional achievements of its culinary teams from Amaya Hills, Kandy and Amaya Beach, Pasikudah, at the prestigious 22nd Culinary Art Food Expo (CAFE) 2025, held at the BMICH, Colombo.

Organised by the Chefs Guild of Lanka and endorsed by the World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WACS), CAFE is South Asia’s leading platform for celebrating culinary innovation and excellence. This year’s event welcomed over 3,000 chefs from Sri Lanka and abroad to compete across a wide spectrum of culinary disciplines under the theme “From the Point of Preparation to the Table.”

Demonstrating remarkable skill and dedication, the teams from Amaya Hills and Amaya Beach secured an impressive 17 medals, including Gold with Excellence, Gold, Silver, and Bronze across a wide range of culinary categories. From intricately plated appetisers and seafood dishes to Sri Lankan fusion cuisine, cocktail creations, fruit and vegetable carving, and artistic showpieces, their accomplishments reflect both breadth and brilliance.

These accolades reflect the dedication, precision and creativity of our chefs, whose pursuit of excellence continues to enhance the dining experiences at our resorts. We commend their hard work and take immense pride in their achievements on such a prestigious national and international platform.

As we celebrate this milestone, Amaya Resorts & Spas reaffirms its commitment to nurturing homegrown talent and advancing the standards of Sri Lankan hospitality and cuisine on the global stage.