Category: Daily Financial Times

The High Commission of Canada in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, in collaboration with The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, has announced the visit of a Canadian Agricultural Mission to Sri Lanka from 27-31 October.

The five-day mission aims to deepen bilateral cooperation in agriculture, agri-food, and agri-tech. Focusing on agricultural policy, productivity, smart agriculture, and climate resilience, the mission will bring together industry representatives, policymakers, academics, and Government officials. Activities will take place across Colombo, Kandy, and Jaffna, featuring a series of workshops and conferences to encourage collaboration and practical outcomes.

This initiative will provide a platform for stakeholder dialogue on the challenges and opportunities within both countries’ agricultural sectors. It will explore Sri Lanka’s production and supply chain gaps while sharing Canada’s best practices in technology adoption, efficiency, and sustainability. The mission will also focus on developing skills, sharing knowledge, and fostering academia-industry partnerships.

Discussions are expected to identify gaps in agricultural production, technology, and supply chains and explore how Sri Lanka and Canada can collaborate to address them. Expanding market access for Canadian agri-food and agri-tech products will also be discussed.

Panels will explore how Sri Lanka’s agriculture can evolve from subsistence farming to a model that enhances productivity, resilience, value addition, and export competitiveness while safeguarding food security and farmer livelihoods.

The mission aims to build lasting connections and practical collaborations that benefit farmers, communities, and the wider agricultural sector in both Sri Lanka and Canada.

Dankotuwa Porcelain PLC has increased its public shareholding to 34.98% as of 30 September 2025, up from 12.57% three months earlier.

The float-adjusted market capitalisation rose to Rs. 1.08 billion from Rs. 439.37 million over the same period, while the number of voting public shareholders increased to 6,532 from 4,588.

The company reported a net asset value per share of Rs. 16.80 as of end-June 2025. Ceyline Investments Ltd., was the largest shareholder at 64.89%, followed by Ambeon Holdings PLC with 22.41% at the same date.

Salesforce Chairman and CEO Marc Benioff recently declared that ‘Agentic AI’ is the next revolution, where humans and Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents drive customer success together in ‘Agentic Enterprises.’

This declaration was made at the world’s leading AI Customer Relations Management (CRM) solutions provider’s ‘Dreamforce 2025’ three-day event in San Francisco.

The event, which has 1,500 sessions addressed by over 100 IT leaders, drove home the point that when AI is built with trust, it will elevate people, as agents handle the busy work so that employees can focus on work that matters in an enterprise.

Benioff also spoke of what he described as the ‘agentic divide,’ in which consumers are elevated but not enterprises.

To address this divide, Salesforce showcased its latest innovation ‘Agentforce 360,’ the world’s first platform designed to connect humans and AI agents in one trusted system – empowering every employee to achieve more, every customer-facing moment to deliver more, and every company to operate with unprecedented intelligence and speed. It was described as the most complete platform for building, controlling, and deploying trusted enterprise AI agents at scale.

‘To get AI right, you have got to get your data right,’ Benioff said during the keynote at Dreamforce, attended by over 50,000 including global customers, partners, and media, including the Daily FT.

‘You have got to get to more integrated solutions. You have got to get the priorities right. You have to get the governance right,’ he said, part in reference to a recent Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study that showed that generative AI pilot projects tend to fail.

‘The speed of adoption of technology by enterprise customers is not outpacing the speed of innovation,’ he emphasised separately during a media interaction. ‘Our job is to get those customers into adoption mode. The way to do it is by showing them customers who are front-left runners in this. When you look at these customers, they are making it happen, and I think that their stories are so critical and compelling,’ the Salesforce Chief emphasised.

Dreamforce 2025 showcased what it means to become an Agentic Enterprise featuring real customer demos from OpenAI, Williams-Sonoma, Inc., Pandora, Accenture, PepsiCo, FedEx, and Dell Technologies.

Benioff stressed that Salesforce was built on trust, customer success, innovation, equality, and sustainability. He revealed how two decades of connecting customers, data, and trust have led to the next leap in business – the rise of the Agentic Enterprise, where AI doesn’t replace people, but elevates them.

The Agentic Enterprise represents a new model for work – where AI elevates people rather than replacing them. In an Agentic Enterprise, every team operates with 24/7 intelligence: sales leads are never missed, service never sleeps, and every employee has an AI partner that helps them move faster and make smarter decisions. The result is a new era of productivity, customer connection, and growth.

Salesforce’s proven automation and analytics now power AI agents capable of turning every workflow into intelligence, every employee into a multiplier, and every customer interaction into a moment of impact.

Agentforce 360 is designed to deliver controlled, contextual, and consistent experiences across every customer and employee interaction-it gives teams the fastest path from AI prototypes to production-scale agents.

Built on learnings from more than 12,000 Agentforce implementations, the Agentforce 360 platform delivers a new Agent Script language for defining behaviour, an integrated voice-native experience layer, a reimagined Agentforce Builder for rapid, conversational development and testing, and easy, AI-powered unstructured data pipelines that turn even the most complex documents into reliable context for reasoning. The result: accurate, brand-aligned, production-ready agents built for enterprise-grade deployments.

Agent Script, a new scripting language for controlling agents, is a core component of the Agentforce 360 platform release. Agent Script combines the creativity of AI with the rigour of business workflows so that agents perform the exact way a company wants them to, every time. Agent Script allows enterprises to define agent behaviour with a human-readable expression language, which enables conditional logic, precise tool use, and guided, deterministic controls. This new level of control empowers Agentforce to tackle even the most complex tasks with confidence.

It was revealed that Agentforce 360 delivers the most advanced capabilities yet for building, deploying, and governing enterprise-grade AI agents. These innovations span the entire Salesforce ecosystem, from platform to data to customer apps to Slack, which is the Agentic OS for the Enterprise.

Agentforce 360 also uniquely brings together the four ingredients of an Agentic Enterprise.

Agentforce 360 Platform: The foundation for enterprise-grade AI agents, now featuring a new conversational builder, hybrid reasoning for greater control and accuracy, and voice capabilities.

Data 360: The trusted, unified data layer that gives every agent context. With innovations like Intelligent Context and Tableau Semantics, companies can turn unstructured data and analytics into rich context and understanding for AI.

Customer 360 Apps: The business logic and institutional memory of every enterprise – capturing how it sells, serves, markets, and operates – now brought to life through AI agents that deeply understand every customer and process from the inside out.

Slack: The conversational interface for humans and agents to work together, connecting knowledge, actions, and data in real time.

This uniquely integrated approach enables businesses to deploy agents that are grounded in governed, trusted data; work across teams and workflows; collaborate with humans and other agents directly in Slack; and leverage existing processes, business logic, and data infrastructure. And with its open ecosystem, partners extend Salesforce’s technology into every industry with tailored solutions and services.

Agentforce 360 also introduces the most dependable and accessible agents yet – designed to reason, act, and collaborate alongside people.

Agentforce Builder: A new conversational development studio that lets teams design, test, and deploy agents using natural language – no manual configuration required.

Agentforce Voice: A native voice layer that transforms Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems into natural, real-time conversations with low-latency transcription, realistic speech synthesis, and deep Salesforce integration. Voice is compatible with leading enterprise Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS) partners such as Amazon Connect, Five9, NiCE, and Vonage.

Hybrid Reasoning and Agent Script: Combines deterministic workflows with flexible Large-Language Model (LLM) reasoning for precision and adaptability. Developers can define guardrails, tool use, and logic using Agent Script, powered by the configurable Atlas Reasoning Engine.

Agentforce Vibes: Extends low-code development to AI, letting builders ‘vibe-code’ apps grounded in company data and governance.

Observability: New dashboards help teams monitor reasoning, accuracy, and compliance – improving reliability over time.

Not just a pilot but most successful solution ever

According to Salesforce, Agentforce 360 isn’t another AI pilot but it is already reshaping work inside Salesforce and across industries. Internally, Salesforce uses Agentforce 360 to handle routine tasks across sales, IT, and support, elevating employees to focus on strategy, creativity, and customer relationships.

Separately with 12,000 customers, Agentforce 360 has delivered transformative results.

Benioff said Agentforce, provisionally launched in October last year, has been the most successful product ever launched by Salesforce in its 26-year history.

‘It’s the fastest growing product in our history. There’s never been a faster growing product that we have that much already is way beyond anything we’ve been expecting,’ he told journalists attending Dreamforce 2025.

At the end of FY26 Q2, Salesforce closed over 12,500 deals since launching Agentforce and over 40% of Data Cloud and Agentforce Q2 bookings came from existing customer expansion. Its customer base is over 150,000 and employs over 76,000. In 2025, Salesforce’s annual revenue was $ 37.9 billion, up 121.63% from 2020. (NC)

Sri Lanka’s digital economy is estimated at Rs. 1,342 billion, accounting for 4.5% of GDP, according to the Institute of Policy Studies’ (IPS) Annual State of the Economy 2025 report.

The report said digital businesses and online platforms are driving innovation, creating new products, and reducing transaction costs, while supporting sustainable economic growth and competitiveness.

The IPS noted that information and communication services have become a key driver of Sri Lanka’s services sector, contributing steadily to the economy in recent years.

The digital sector’s upward trajectory has been accelerated by the global shift towards digitalisation, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, which expanded demand for digital solutions.

The report said the ICT-BPO sector experienced rapid expansion between 2015 and 2020, with the number of firms tripling and the workforce doubling. ICT and BPO-related services generated about $ 850 million in revenue in 2020.

According to the last available census survey conducted in 2018, the workforce grew 51% over five years to 124,873, recording an annual growth rate of around 10%. Projections indicate the ICT, BPO, and BPM workforce will reach 300,000 by 2025, generating $ 2 billion in export earnings.

‘Sri Lanka’s ICT-BPM industry is also expected to foster the development of over 1,000 technology startups, further solidifying its position as a dynamic digital economy,’ the IPS report said.

The size of the digital economy, based on Central Bank data, is dominated by information and communication activities valued at Rs. 606.7 billion, or 2.03% of GDP, and e-commerce estimated at Rs. 735.2 billion, or 2.47% of GDP.

The report noted that the e-commerce value was calculated by doubling the total card-based transaction volume on the assumption that cash payments account for half of all online purchases.

E-commerce has become a notable driver of digital engagement in Sri Lanka.

‘Many Sri Lankan businesses have established an online presence through e-commerce platforms, social media, and dedicated websites,’ the IPS said. Rising internet penetration, improved payment gateways, and digital literacy have helped the sector grow rapidly.

In 2024, total e-commerce transactions via debit and credit cards amounted to Rs. 367.8 billion. The overall value of e-commerce transactions was estimated at Rs. 735.2 billion and is projected to grow annually at 10.8%, reaching an estimated $ 3.9 billion by 2029.

The report said consumer behaviour has also shifted in favour of online purchases, with around 52% of internet users making online purchases at least once a month.

Digital advertising plays a strong role in influencing buying decisions, with 58% of users reporting they bought products online after seeing digital ads. The most commonly purchased items were clothing at 43%, personal care and beauty products at 23%, and electronics and accessories at 22%.

The IPS identified e-services as another fast-growing area, reshaping how citizens access services such as food delivery, education, transportation, healthcare, and Government transactions. ‘E-services are becoming increasingly integrated into the daily lives of Sri Lankans, particularly in urban areas,’ the report said.

The e-services sector is forecast to expand at an annual rate of 15.7%, reaching a market volume of $ 1.9 billion and 6.4 million users by 2029. User penetration is expected to reach 23% of the population by 2025, driven by internet access, smartphone usage, and consumer receptivity to digital platforms.

The IPS said the continued evolution of e-services and e-commerce will be central to enhancing service delivery, improving efficiency, and promoting inclusive digital growth.

‘The expansion of these sectors will be key to reducing friction in economic transactions and supporting broader goals of digital inclusion and economic modernisation,’ it said.

The Research Intelligence Unit (RIUNIT) together with the High Commission of Sri Lanka in London will hold the Sri Lanka Real Estate Investment Forum: London 2025 on Thursday, 30 October at the Sri Lanka High Commission, 13 Hyde Park Gardens, Tyburnia, London W2 2LU.

The event will take place from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (BST), followed by networking and fellowship until 8:30 p.m.

RIUNIT has been organising international real estate forums for many years in cities around the world. The upcoming London event will be the first major overseas forum since 2023. It comes at an important time as Sri Lanka’s real estate market shows signs of new growth and stronger investor confidence.

The forum will bring together international investors, developers, government officials, and members of the Sri Lankan diaspora community living in the UK. Presentations and discussions will highlight the latest market trends, new projects, and investment opportunities in the country’s property sector.

RIUNIT CEO Roshan Madawela said: ‘The level of interest witnessed already demonstrates a surge in interest amongst the diaspora community to invest in Sri Lanka, given a favourable economic and political climate.’

The main sponsor of the event is Home Lands Skyline. The event is also supported by Port City Colombo, Cinnamon Air, and Athi Rasa, showing the wide range of industries that now connect to real estate and investment growth in Sri Lanka.

Participation is free, but seats are limited. Interested persons can register online through https://riunit.com/registration/. Inquiries can be sent to [email protected] or via WhatsApp at +44 7463 401869 / +94 7744 41117.

The number of Sri Lankans leaving for overseas employment dropped by 5% in the first six months of 2025 to 143,037 workers, as improving economic conditions and rising domestic wages reduced outward labour migration, according to Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) data.

In January, 25,873 people departed for foreign jobs, slightly above the 25,149 recorded a year earlier.

Departures then fell to 22,271 in February, compared to 25,737 in 2024, and to 21,552 in March, against 24,158 last year. In April, 22,011 workers left, nearly unchanged from 22,220 a year ago, while May recorded 27,142 departures, marginally lower than 28,201 in 2024.

The data show that departures have eased since February, reflecting a stabilising labour market at home following several years of high migration during the economic crisis.

Meanwhile, workers’ remittances surged to $ 695.7 million in September, marking the third-highest monthly inflow so far in 2025, according to the CBSL.

The figure reflects a 25.2% year-on-year increase and represents the sixth consecutive month of record inflows, underscoring the steady recovery of foreign worker earnings.

Cumulatively, remittances in the first nine months of 2025 rose 20% year-on-year to exceed $ 5.8 billion, the strongest performance for the period since 2020.

The year-to-date total is also 8% higher than the $ 5.38 billion recorded during the same period in 2016, which remains the year with the highest annual remittances at $ 7.24 billion.

CICRA Campus has concluded its inaugural Data Protection Officer (DPO) Training Program, marking a significant milestone in Sri Lanka’s journey towards robust data protection compliance.

The intensive four-day program attracted a high-calibre cohort of senior working professionals, including Chief and Deputy Executive Officers, Heads and Directors, as well as specialised Managers in legal, compliance, and IT/security functions.

Designed to equip participants with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, the program emphasised a hands-on approach to implementing the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) requirements. Participants gained technical expertise in conducting data audits, managing data security breaches, performing data protection impact assessments, and establishing comprehensive organisational data protection frameworks.

The program was structured in two levels. Level 1, introduced data protection principles, legal frameworks, and the role of the DPO, ensuring participants understood the core concepts and rights of data subjects and Level 2, focused on practical implementation, guiding participants through real-world challenges and operational strategies for compliance.

The program featured former PDPA Drafting Committee Chair Jayantha Fernando as an invited Guest Speaker. Training sessions were conducted by industry experts: DPO General Counsel and PDPA Drafting Committee member Trinesh Fernando; Dialog Axiata PLC Head of Group Regulatory, Data Protection and Compliance Shenuka Jayalath and Dialog Axiata PLC Assistant Manager – Regulatory Rashmin Tirimanne De Silva.

By bringing together diverse professionals and offering actionable, practical learning, CICRA Campus has set a benchmark for nurturing qualified Data Protection Officers in Sri Lanka, empowering them to drive data protection excellence within their organisations.

Building on this momentum, Sri Lanka’s first Data Privacy and Protection Summit 2025 was held on 3 July at Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo, bringing together over 350 senior professionals, legal experts, and industry leaders. The Summit provided a platform to explore PDPA’s regulatory and legal framework, organisational implementation strategies, and the critical role of DPOs. Keynote addresses and panel discussions featured leading figures from the digital economy, regulatory authorities, global corporations, and top consultancy firms, alongside panellists from legal, IT, and compliance sectors.

Together, these initiatives showcase CICRA’s commitment to cultivating skilled professionals and promoting organisational compliance, strengthening the Sri Lanka’s capacity to manage data protection challenges effectively, and positioning it as a leader in data governance in the region.

The national program ‘4i Project’ developing 1,000 young entrepreneurs was successfully launched last week by the Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry in partnership with the National Productivity Secretariat and other Government bodies.

Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Minister Sunil Handunneththi said the national program, the 4i Project, is geared towards empowering a new generation of business owners, with a focus on youth and Small and Medium Enterprise (SMEs).

The Minister clarified the program’s eligibility, noting it is intended not only for emerging entrepreneurs but also for established SMEs that possess a minimum of three years of operational history and employ at least 10 individuals. The initiative will specifically target production-related businesses within identified districts across the nation.

He briefly outlined the main objectives of the project, stating the program seeks to expand business opportunities through entrepreneurship training and productivity enhancements. He reaffirmed the Government’s commitment, stating that it has upheld its promise to support entrepreneurship and contribution to the development of the economy.

The Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe provided an explanation for the initiative’s name, confirming that the 4i Project framework refers to four distinct phases of business innovation and development.

He detailed these phases: Initiation, which focuses on helping aspiring entrepreneurs identify market opportunities and formulate initial business ideas; Ideation, which aids young people in developing their concepts into concrete business plans; Integration, which supports entrepreneurs in structuring and consolidating their business plans; and finally, Implementation, which guides entrepreneurs through the launch of their new business ventures.

Addressing the broader economic context, the Deputy Minister stated that low national productivity is one of the underlying reasons for the country’s economic downturn. He posed a question about the necessity of the project given that simply running an enterprise makes one an entrepreneur before explaining that the process is not merely about launching businesses, but about fundamentally improving them: increasing their efficiency, reducing waste, providing solutions, and ultimately making the enterprise truly entrepreneurial.

He stressed that only by significantly increasing productivity can Sri Lanka effectively penetrate the international market. He also reaffirmed the national target with expectations that this initiative will increase overall productivity by 52%.

Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Secretary J. M. Thilaka Jayasundara presented a detailed overview of the 4i Project, outlining its role in the Government’s strategy to reorient Sri Lanka towards a manufacturing economy by 2030.

She pointed out the project’s purpose and future actions, confirming it is an innovative initiative designed to boost the SME sector by enhancing the knowledge, skills, productivity, and export capability of local entrepreneurs.

She emphasised the ‘4i Project’ was initially implemented as a pilot program in the Gampaha District. The project success led to subsequently expanding the program across the entire island.

Jayasundara asserted that the Government is committed to transitioning to a manufacturing-led economy by 2030. Current figures show the manufacturing sector’s contribution is 16.1 %, while the contribution from entrepreneurs in the labour force stands at 3 %. The target is to raise the manufacturing sector’s contribution to at least 20% by 2030.

Acknowledging the goal’s significance, she described it as an optimistic yet achievable target, provided a collective effort is made to channel the manufacturing sector into the export market to drive growth.

Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry’s Public Enterprises Director W.M.D. Suranga Gunaratna noted that the ‘4i Project’ is specifically designed to strengthen the national economy by providing the selected young entrepreneurs and SMEs with the necessary advisory support, resources, training, and enhanced business knowledge required for sustainable growth and improved export performance.

He also mentioned the rigorous selection process that involved within a short period of time receiving applications from 17 districts, 968 candidates initially called for interviews. From that, 709 were selected, and 504 outstanding entrepreneurs ultimately secured their place in the first phase of the’4i Project’ this year.

He confirmed the project’s phase covering 17 districts, with the remaining eight districts scheduled for mid-2026. He said their initial target was 1,000 participants and anticipate to select the remaining 500 entrepreneurs by next year. He noted that this successful launch is just a beginning, representing a major step toward strengthening Sri Lanka’s SME sector.

Addressing the extensive reach of the project, he mentioned that several other districts, eager to be a part of the initiative, had personally reached out, assuring them that their requests will be considered next year. He expressed his deep satisfaction that the opportunity is given to everyone, stating the ministry supports all prospective entrepreneurs.

A key highlight of the event was the presentation of appointment letters to selected entrepreneurs representing the 17 districts chosen for the initial rollout of the 4i Project this year. The launch event also featured a panel discussion where key personalities from public enterprises shared success stories and lessons learned from the successful pilot phase of the 4i Project, which was conducted in the Gampaha District. Attendees at the event included officials from the Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development, the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, officials of the National Productivity Secretariat, and representatives from the 17 participating districts.

Sri Lanka’s private sector has come forward to propel the country’s first-ever and self-funded and curated destination marketing campaign to boost tourist arrivals amidst frustration over the delay in initiatives by State agencies.

Named ‘Truly Sri Lanka,’ the digital destination campaign is being championed by The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL), the apex body representing the country’s formal hotel sector, and its members, in partnership with Nations Trust Bank American Express (NTB AMEX).

THASL President M. Shanthikumar described the private sector initiative as a milestone in promoting Sri Lanka’s diverse tourism offerings to emerging markets.

Initially targeting emerging markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council (Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman) and East Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore), the campaign will run for three months and continue periodically over the next three years, encompassing other attractive markets.

These six countries collectively have generated nearly 44,000 tourists in the first nine months of this year with Malaysia generating a high of 17,471 tourists, Singapore 10,817 tourists and Oman a low of 2,103 tourists. However nationals of these countries travel in large numbers to competing destinations.

All inquiries will be directed to the dedicated website ‘Truly Sri Lanka,’ where potential travellers can explore partner hotels, access direct links to official websites, and make bookings seamlessly. Members who contributed to this campaign will have direct access to the ‘Truly Sri Lanka’ website. At present, over 60 members of THASL have invested in the initiative, whilst NTB AMEX has committed to support the initiative for three years.

The campaign, curated by industry specialist eMarketingEye, will be expanded to cover other markets.

Shanthikumar said representing international and local hotel brands, boutique resorts, wellness retreats, wildlife lodges, and themed properties, THASL plays a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. Nearly 70% of Sri Lanka’s total tourism workforce is employed in hotels, while the collective investment in land and buildings exceeds $ 15 billion. Hotels also generate the highest earnings within the industry and remain the largest contributors to Government revenue through taxes, levies, and fees.

In addition to their economic contribution, hotels across Sri Lanka play a vital role in uplifting local communities through indirect and induced impact, creating employment opportunities and supporting small-scale suppliers such as farmers, fishermen, and artisans. Many THASL members also carry out meaningful Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives that often go unnoticed, reinforcing the sector’s deep-rooted commitment to national development.

‘THASL’s decades-long involvement in tourism has given it a clear understanding of the importance of sustained global awareness campaigns. We are deeply committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of our industry and preserving the beauty of Sri Lanka for future generations,’ Shanthikumar added.

While recognising that such campaigns may not yield immediate returns, THASL believes they are crucial for maintaining momentum amid changing global dynamics.

With tourist arrivals increasing but cumulative earnings showing a visible decline by August 2025, Shanthikumar said THASL saw an urgent need to reposition Sri Lanka before further economic downturns in tourism earnings could occur, as well as to complement and give impetus to the forthcoming integrated destination campaign planned by the authorities.

‘THASL remains a non-political organisation dedicated to advancing policies that strengthen tourism’s sustainability and competitiveness. The Association will continue lobbying the Government for policy and regulatory reforms and for expediting integrated promotional initiatives that benefit the industry as a whole,’ Shanthikumar said. ‘We are deeply grateful for the overwhelming support and contribution of THASL members toward this initiative, as through campaigns like ‘Truly Sri Lanka,’ we reaffirm our collective commitment to positioning our nation as one of the world’s most desirable destinations.’

Impacted by successive changes in Governments and officials, the broader tourism industry has been waiting for years for Sri Lanka Tourism to kick off a proper global destination campaign. There was hope for quicker decision making under the new National People’s Party (NPP) administration, but the industry hadn’t seen the desired progress.

A subcommittee chaired by THASL Vice President Eksath Wijerathne, who is the Browns Hotels and Resorts CEO, spearheaded the development of the campaign within just three months. Given the rising costs and effectiveness of digital outreach, THASL opted for a digital-first strategy, selecting eMarketingEye, a professional digital marketing company, to design and roll out the campaign across all key digital platforms, including social media.

Wijerathne said year-to-date, tourist arrivals were at 1.7 million, whilst Sri Lanka’s target for 2025 was 3 million tourists. ‘Via the private sector digital marketing campaign, we are making an effort to enhance awareness and trigger prospective visitors, thereby getting closer to the target,’ he added.

eMarketingEye Founder and CEO Rajitha Dahanayake described the campaign as ‘truly need of the hour’ and said it will boost the ‘value proposition’ Sri Lanka offers to tourists.

NTB PLC Consumer Banking Executive Vice President Sheahan Daniel said NTB AMEX support underscores strong private sector collaboration for national tourism promotion. He also said NTB over a year ago separately managed to secure a placement for Sri Lanka destination promotion in the global AMEX website, which too was a big boost.

Sri Lanka welcomed 1.73 million tourists in the first nine months of 2025, marking a 16.2% increase from the previous year’s cumulative total for the same period. On the other hand, earnings from tourism amounted to $ 2.47 billion, up by only 5%. The goal by 2030 is 5 million tourist arrivals and $ 10 billion in earnings.

Renewable energy, particularly wind and solar, offers a pathway not only towards environmental responsibility but also towards national independence and economic stability. Yet, recent protests against the Mannar wind power project threaten to derail this progress, echoing the misplaced opposition that once delayed the Norocholai Coal Power Plant by nearly two decades.

The reasons behind the protests in Mannar remain unclear. Some claim concerns about possible impacts on fisheries and marine ecosystems, though no conclusive evidence has been presented. Others see familiar patterns of manipulation, where vested interests use misinformation to turn communities against national projects. This is reminiscent of the Norocholai experience where local protests, supposedly led by religious leaders, were later revealed to have been instigated by private diesel power operators. These groups, benefiting from lucrative contracts for thermal power generation, sought to prevent the State-owned coal plant from coming online.

When Norocholai was finally commissioned, the doomsday predictions of environmental catastrophe did not materialise. Instead, the power plant now supplies over 900 MegaWatts roughly a quarter of Sri Lanka’s total installed capacity and has significantly reduced the cost of electricity generation. It stands today as a reminder that while public debate and environmental caution are necessary, they should not be manipulated to serve private profit at the expense of national progress.

The case of Mannar bears troubling similarities. The region’s wind corridor has been identified by experts as one of the most promising in South Asia. Harnessing even a fraction of its potential could make a decisive contribution to Sri Lanka’s renewable energy targets. Yet, vague fears about damage to fisheries, unsubstantiated by rigorous scientific evidence, are being amplified. The result is confusion, delay, and the risk of losing foreign investment and technical expertise in a sector that Sri Lanka desperately needs to expand.

Sri Lanka’s hydroelectric potential, once the backbone of its power supply, has reached its peak. Climate variability, prolonged droughts, and siltation in major reservoirs have made hydropower increasingly unreliable. In the coming decades, some of these large reservoirs may even face decommissioning. The diversification of energy sources is not just an environmental priority, it is a matter of national economic security.

Wind and solar energy are the twin pillars of this diversification. Together, they can provide clean, affordable, and decentralised power to communities across the country. The Mannar Wind Power Project, for instance, is already demonstrating impressive performance, with capacity factors among the best in the region. Expanding such projects could stabilise the grid, reduce dependence on imported oil and coal, and help Sri Lanka meet its international climate commitments.

This is not to say that environmental concerns should be dismissed. Every project must undergo a thorough Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and mitigation measures must be implemented to minimise harm to ecosystems and local livelihoods. However, once the assessments are complete and the science is sound, the Government must have the courage to proceed. Development cannot be held hostage by misinformation or the hidden agendas of those who profit from the status quo.

Our country’s path to energy security and sustainability will not be without challenges. But history has shown that resistance often precedes progress. We cannot afford another 20-year delay like Norocholai. The world is moving rapidly towards clean energy. To hesitate now would be to fall behind economically and strategically. It is time for the Government to stay the course, invest boldly in wind and solar power, and ensure that the light which powers our future is both green and secure.