Port City Duty-Free serves nearly 100,000 travellers in first year

Officials of China Duty Free, Colombo Port City Economic Commission and One World Duty-Free, partaking in the celebratory cake-cutting ceremony to mark the one year operation of the Port City Duty-Free Mall - Pic by Nimalsiri Edirisinghe

By Nishel Fernando
The Port City Duty-Free Mall has served close to 100,000 international travellers in its first year of operations, marking a milestone for the retail hub within Sri Lanka’s flagship special economic zone.
The announcement was made at the mall’s first anniversary celebration last week, attended by stakeholders, partners and staff.
“I looked at the numbers. It’s impressive that we have serviced close to 100,000 passengers in this mall during the first year of our journey,” said for China Duty Free (CDF) Sri Lanka Country General Manager Dimantha Kinigama. 
He credited the Colombo Port City Economic Commission, project company CHEC Port City Colombo, and retailers for the achievement, and praised CHEC Port City for constructing the 7,000-square-metre facility in “double quick time.”
Kinigama described CDF Group, which operates the mall, as a US$ 10 billion powerhouse having access to more than 1000 beauty products and brands. He said the facility aims to be a space where experiences are created, cultures meet, and memories are made, adding that the first year was “just the beginning.”
The mall is targeting international visitors, particularly from India and China. “We are serving Indian nationals and Chinese in a big way, and we will continue to do so in years to come,” Kinigama said.
Ruwan Samarasinghe, a director at the Colombo Port City Economic Commission, said regulatory support was key to smooth operations. 
“We are committed to supporting all stakeholders including developers, investors, and the public in ensuring a positive, continuous drive as a vital and competitive special economic zone,” he said.
Meanwhile, One World Duty-Free Senior Operations Manager Anjali Kaushalya noted that moving forward, the entity remains committed to raising the standards of duty-free and making this destination a pride for Sri Lanka.