Остров
Путешествие «По Краю»001
S&P Upgraded Sri Lanka's Credit Rating to CCC+
S&P upgraded Sri Lanka's credit rating to CCC+/C, noting political stability after the NPP's constitutional majority in the 2024 elections.
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Economy
The island's economy, prices, currency and business climate.
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Sri Lanka GDP Grew 4.9% in Q2 2025
Sri Lanka's economy grew 4.9% in Q2 2025, marking positive growth for seven consecutive quarters.
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Central Bank of Sri Lanka Issues New 2000-Rupee Banknote
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka issued 50 million new banknotes of 2,000 rupees denomination.
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Mattala Airport Seeks New Investors
A new tender has been announced for the development of the loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport after a deal with a Russian-Indian consortium collapsed due to US sanctions.
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Tourism in Sri Lanka: Paradise for Sale
An article from Hi!! magazine examines the flip side of Sri Lanka's tourism boom, where a weak rupee attracts budget travelers but deepens social exclusion and erodes local communities.
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VAT Refund Service Launched for Tourists at Colombo Airport
A VAT refund service for foreign tourists was officially launched at Bandaranaike International Airport to improve the visitor experience and boost economic growth.
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Sri Lanka Customs Denies New Tax on Small Parcels
Sri Lanka Customs denied rumors of a new tax on small parcels, clarifying that the changes only ensure correct application of existing duties.
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AliExpress Ceases Operations in Sri Lanka
A brief announcement that AliExpress is ceasing operations in Sri Lanka.
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Sri Lanka Risks Losing the Russian Tea and Tourism Market
Jagath Chandrawansa warned that without a national strategy Sri Lanka risks losing the Russian tea market ($122M in 2023) and Russian tourists (13.6% of arrivals).
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Russia Ranked Only 10th for Tourism Arrivals to Sri Lanka in May
SLTDA data for May 2025 shows Russia ranked 10th with a 2.5% share of 132,919 tourist arrivals, compared to 3rd place in May 2022.
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Sri Lanka Considers Hotel Discounts for Russian Tourists
Sri Lanka's Deputy Foreign Minister said talks are underway on reducing hotel prices for Russian tourists during the upcoming winter season.
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Russian Tourists Spend More Than Others in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's Deputy Foreign Minister stated that Russian tourists spend an average of $200 per day, exceeding the average of $180.
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Electricity tariffs raised by 15%
Sri Lanka's electricity tariffs have reportedly been raised by 15%.
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Sri Lanka breaks record for tourist arrivals in a year
Sri Lanka reached 1 million tourist arrivals faster than ever before, as part of its plan to attract 3 million tourists in 2025.
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Adventure tourism to grow to $2.1 billion by 2035
Sri Lanka's adventure tourism market is forecast to grow from $780 million in 2025 to $2.1 billion by 2035 at a 10.5% annual growth rate.
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Ceylon Electricity Board considers 25–35% tariff hike
The Ceylon Electricity Board is considering raising electricity tariffs by 25–35%, according to the Sunday Times.
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Sri Lanka tourism in 2024: 2.05 million tourists
Sri Lanka welcomed 2.05 million tourists in 2024 — India leads, while Russia loses market share despite a slight increase in absolute numbers.
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Sri Lanka tourism: April figures still below 2018 peak
Despite a 17% year-on-year increase, April tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka are still 4% below the 2018 record — the author analyses official SLTDA data.
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Sri Lanka must find its own path in tourism
The SLTDA chairman stated that Sri Lanka should not compete with Thailand and Malaysia in mass tourism but instead build a unique national brand.
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Tourist flow drops: operators say Sri Lanka overpriced itself
A tourism operator representative said Sri Lanka overpriced itself and lost tourists to other destinations — 'greed leads to poverty'.
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Fuel queues gone, situation back to normal
Fuel queues have disappeared and the situation is back to normal — peaceful island life can resume.
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Queues at fuel stations: no shortage declared, but supplies running low
The fuel distributors' association stopped ordering new supplies, causing queues at stations in the South and Colombo, though the government denies a shortage.
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Sri Lanka's 2025 budget highlights foreign investors
President Dissanayake presented the 2025 budget in parliament, with specific provisions highlighted for foreign investors and entrepreneurs.
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January 2025 tourism record: 252,000 visitors
In January 2025, Sri Lanka welcomed 252,761 foreign tourists — 21% more than a year earlier; the top source countries were India, Russia, and the UK.
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Gazprombank warns of UnionPay card issues abroad
From 21 November, Gazprombank's UnionPay cards may stop working abroad — the bank recommends carrying cash.
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Do Gazprombank cards work in Sri Lanka?
A subscriber asks about the usability of Gazprombank cards in Sri Lanka — a relevant question for Russian residents.
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SriLankan Airlines cancels eight flights due to technical issues
SriLankan Airlines cancelled 8 flights due to technical problems and aircraft shortages, sparking passenger outrage.
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SLMExchange sponsors the Island photo contest
Currency exchange service SLMExchange sponsored the contest, offering the winner commission-free currency exchange at the best rate for one week.
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Warning about exchange rates in Sri Lanka
A brief warning for tourists: do not count on a good exchange rate when changing money at the airport or with informal exchangers.
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Sri Lanka refuses to hand Mattala airport to Indian-Russian company
Sri Lanka's authorities refused to issue a licence for the management of Mattala airport to an Indian-Russian consortium due to legal obstacles.
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SLT Cuts Fiber Prices Amid Starlink Competition Threat
Sri Lanka Telecom cut the price of 50 Mbps fiber internet to $26/month, fearing competition from the expected Starlink launch.
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Volkswagen opens largest car assembly plant in South Asia
Sri Lanka's president inaugurated the Volkswagen plant in Kuliapitiya, the largest in South Asia, producing 25 vehicles daily and creating 2,000 jobs.
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Starlink Licensed to Operate in Sri Lanka
Starlink has received an official license to operate in Sri Lanka.
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Rosselkhozbank hints at restrictions
A short post hinting at restrictions or changes in Rosselkhozbank's operations.
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Ceypetco fuel prices cut from midnight
Ceypetco cut petrol and diesel prices; the author also reports fuel shortage at gas stations on that day.
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Rains Destroyed Crops: Vegetable Prices Spike Sharply
Due to prolonged rains, farmers have raised vegetable prices — limes up to 1,800 rupees, green chilli to 400 rupees and so on.
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Mattala Airport Handed to Russian and Indian Companies
The loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport was handed to India's Shaurya Aeronautics and Russia's Airport Regions Management Company for 30 years.
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McDonald's Closes All 12 Restaurants in Sri Lanka
McDonald's closed all 12 of its Sri Lanka restaurants after a legal dispute with the local franchisee over hygiene violations.
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Carrot prices in Sri Lanka published alongside gold rates
A channel that tracks daily gold prices has started publishing carrot prices — an ironic comment on the vegetable's cost situation on the island.
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Tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka in 2023 exceeded forecasts
The 2023 Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority report beat conservative forecasts; experts note the peak season has shifted by about a month.
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Island-wide power outage hits Sri Lanka
A nationwide power outage struck Sri Lanka after lightning hit transformers and a major transmission line failed.
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Litro Gas raises cooking gas cylinder prices
Litro Gas Lanka raised prices for all cylinder sizes: a 12.5-kg cylinder now costs 3,565 rupees — prices changed nine times during the year.
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VAT to rise from 15% to 18% from 1 January 2024
The cabinet approved raising VAT from 15% to 18% and extending the tax to goods and services previously exempt.
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Fuel prices revised from 1 November 2024
From 1 November, prices for 95-octane petrol, diesel, and kerosene rise, while 92-octane petrol becomes cheaper.
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Sri Lanka electricity tariff increase from October 2023
PUCSL announced new electricity tariffs effective October 20, with fixed rates rising by approximately 18% across all consumption categories.
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NITC 2023 conference: Sri Lanka's digital economy
The 41st National IT Conference opened in Colombo, initiated by President Wickremesinghe as part of the country's digital economy programme.
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Monday, October 9: Unistream halts transfers to Sri Lanka
Morning digest with weather and important news: Unistream payment service has stopped money transfers to Sri Lanka.
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Sri Lanka scraps fuel QR codes
Sri Lanka has abolished the fuel QR code rationing system that was introduced in August 2022 at the peak of the fuel crisis.
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Post Bank UnionPay cards temporarily blocked abroad
Post Bank UnionPay cards are temporarily restricted for transactions abroad due to technical reasons — the bank advises withdrawing cash.
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Granny Explains Crypto Wallets to Her Grandchildren
Continuation of the humorous 'granny letters' series: she explains how to store crypto and why the Telegram wallet is the most convenient option.
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Dollar Rises Sharply Against Sri Lankan Rupee
News of a significant dollar rise against the rupee with the current rate and an invitation for economists to comment.
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Granny Explains Crypto to Island Expats
A humorous letter from a 'grandmother' in St Petersburg about the difficulty of sending money to Sri Lanka and her attempts to understand cryptocurrency.
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UnionPay Cards: Which Russian Banks Still Work Abroad
List of six Russian banks issuing UnionPay cards outside the SDN list, plus news of Tinkoff cards being blocked for Sri Lanka from a specific date.
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Fuel Quotas to Increase Next Month
Minister Kanchana Wijesekara announced an increase in fuel quotas and a revised six-month fuel supply plan.
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New Colombo–Jaffna flights and push to adopt Indian rupee
Cinnamon Air has launched regular Colombo–Jaffna flights, and President Wickremesinghe expressed intent to use the Indian rupee alongside the dollar.
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Thai Air Asia resumes Bangkok–Colombo flights
Thai Air Asia has resumed regular Bangkok–Colombo flights: the first flight arrived on July 9 carrying 134 passengers.
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New petrol and cigarette prices, inflation drops 12%
Petrol and cigarette prices rose on the island, which will likely raise tuk-tuk fares, while inflation dropped sharply by 12%.
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Minimum room rates for Sri Lanka hotels from August 2023
The government introduces minimum room rates from August 1, 2023: from $80 for three-star to $130 for five-star hotels.
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World Bank approves $500 million support for Sri Lanka
The World Bank approved the largest budget-support tranche for Sri Lanka since the IMF deal — $500 million in two disbursements.
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Parade of Lankan-Made Vehicles in Colombo
Colombo hosted a parade of over 150 vehicles manufactured in Sri Lanka, including, as it turned out, bicycles.
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