National Chamber to announce National Business Excellence Awards 2024 this week

The National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka is set to announce National Business Excellence Awards 2024 (NBEA), the flagship....

Plantation companies say Dec.31 deadline to finalise wage agreement unrealistic

The government has told Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs) to finalise the collective agreement on plantation worker wages before 31 December 2023, to which they responded stating the timeline is unrealistic.

Hayleys Group sweeps Presidential Export Awards with 17 accolades

Sri Lanka’s most diversified conglomerate and exporting powerhouse, Hayleys and its subsidiaries were celebrated for their unwavering....

Virtusa plans expansion in Sri Lanka and targets doubling workforce

Virtusa, a leading global provider of digital engineering solutions, is aiming to strengthen its presence in Sri Lanka by doubling...

November remittances surpass US$ 500mn signalling fast normalising inflows      

Worker remittances surged beyond US$ 500 million for the second consecutive month in November, data released by the Central Bank showed.

Aitken Spence Travels welcomes over 4,000 tourists in a single day

Aitken Spence Travels, Sri Lanka’s premier destination management company, has welcomed simultaneous arrivals of three....

Visa issues holiday season warning; urges users to exercise caution amid rising cyber threats

Visa Inc., a world leader in digital payments, this week urged its users to exercise caution when carrying out financial transactions ....

Concerns mount as SL considers removing VAT exemptions for local digital companies

As Sri Lanka moves closer to eliminating almost all Value-Added Tax (VAT) exemptions, concerns have been raised about....

ADB approves US $ 200mn concessional loan to SL

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced yesterday the approval of a US $ 200 million concessional loan to Sri Lanka, under the Financial Sector Stability and Reforms Programme.

PA calls for urgent reforms on sustainable commercial forestry management

The Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA), Sri Lanka’s apex body representing the nation’s Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs), warned of a looming shortage in fuelwood necessary to meet the industry’s thermal energy requirements.

Colombo Tea Auction sees only 4.5 MnKgs come under hammer this week

The Colombo Tea Auction this week saw a small volume of 4.5 million kilogrammes come under the hammer, following the Deepavali holiday period in early November.

KPMG to shed light on changes to VAT next week

KPMG Sri Lanka Academy is set to host a pivotal webinar delving into the intricacies of Value Added Tax (VAT), next week.

India prohibits export of onions till March 2024

India has prohibited the export of onions till March 2024, as per an official notification issued late on Thursday evening.

OpenAI saga continues as UK considers antitrust probe into its Microsoft partnership

CNN: The UK government is considering an antitrust probe of Microsoft’s relationship with OpenAI, saying the deal that resolved a recent and dramatic leadership crisis at the AI start-up raises questions about possible impacts to competition.

December tourist arrivals cross 38,000 mark in first week

The tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka crossed the 38,000 mark in the first week of December, the provisional data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) showed.

Sri Lanka’s newest tourism tagline officially unveiled this week

This week, the tourism industry saw the official launch of the newest tagline ‘Sri Lanka – You’ll come back for more’, a renewed pitch to promote the island nation, as it looks to revive from the repeated impacts since mid-2019.

Minimum Room Rate will not remain for long: Harin

Tourism Minister Harin Fernando this week signaled that the recently reintroduced Minimum Room Rate (MRR) for Colombo city hotels will not remain for long, and the industry is expected to operate based on market forces.

Government open to reviewing inclusion of 97 items in VAT list, says Siyambalapitiya

State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said yesterday that the government is prepared to reassess the inclusion of 97 out of the 138 items slated for the application of Value-Added Tax (VAT) starting January 1, 2024.

Excel World’s Snow World returns!

An exclusive media launch was held yesterday to unveil the transformed Snow World at Excel World in time for this Christmas season. Snow World stands out as the sole venue in Sri Lanka, offering a snowflake-filled encounter brimming with frosty festive fun. Excel World, Colombo’s most popular entertainment park for the whole family is owned and managed by Excel Restaurants Ltd., which falls under the ownership of the Browns Group. Pic by Kithsiri

Lenovo accelerates ‘Digital Sri Lanka’ vision with AI capabilities

Lenovo, the global technology powerhouse, announced the opening of the first-of-a-kind experience store in Sri Lanka, marking a significant milestone in the company’s presence in the region. This announcement

Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association gears for Facets 2024

The Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association (SLGJA), the apex body for the country’s gem and jewellery industry, was established in October 2002, by uniting the Sri Lanka Gem Traders Association, Sri Lanka Jewellery Manufacturing Expo

Ultimma Training celebrates 10th anniversary

Sri Lanka’s leading corporate training organisation Ultimma Training completed 10 successful years in the corporate training sector recently. Ultimma Training is

Port City Colombo’s festive Christmas celebration on Dec. 11

Port City Colombo is preparing for an enchanting evening of music and joy, as the De Lanerolle Brothers join forces with the National Unity Orchestra for a captivating performance on December 11, 2023, at Port City Colombo.

Rehan Anthonis of Sysco LABS speaks at SHRM Annual Conference – India 2023

Rehan Anthonis, Director of People Operations at Sysco LABS, the global in-house centre for Sysco, the world’s largest foodservice company, was invited to share his insights at the prestigious Society for Human Resource Management (S

SLT-Mobitel partners Duthaya to revolutionise personal assistance services

Recognising the importance of enhancing quality of life by empowering individuals to simplify and expedite everyday tasks, Duthaya, a pioneering personal assistance app, is providing a range of convenient services to customers.

ATrad unveils Sri Lanka’s pioneering cloud-based stock trading platform

IronOne Technologies’ flagship stock trading platform ATrad marked a historic milestone with the launch of Sri Lanka’s first international cloud-hosted stock trading and brokering platform. The event titled ‘B

HNB Assurance celebrates achievements and talent at Annual Staff Conference

HNB Assurance PLC brought together its staff from across the country for its highly anticipated Annual Staff Conference. The event, wh

Kavi Rajapaksha bids farewell to Softlogic Life

After an illustrious seven-year tenure at Softlogic Life, trailblazing marketing professional Kavi Rajapaksha bids a fond farewell, marking the end of an era in the company’s vibrant history. Rajapaksha’s depa

SampathCards announces exciting discounts and benefits this festive season

As the festive season approaches, SampathCards has announced an array of exciting discounts and benefits, in line with

Arpico Insurance wins at Emerging Asia Insurance Conclave & Awards 2023

Arpico Insurance PLC, one of the most innovative and trusted life insurance providers in the country and a fully-owned subsidia