Product & Service Launches / Business Expansions
View all(142)✈️ Emirates Holidays Launches Thailand Pass to Boost Outbound Travel Market
• Travel & Tourism sector gains a boost as Emirates Holidays introduces the "Thailand Pass," offering exclusive savings of up to 40% across shopping, dining, and attractions in Thailand for Sri Lanka and other select global markets. • Thailand remains a high-demand destination, with year-on-year (YoY) bookings surging by 10%. Emirates supports this growth with 49 weekly flights to Thailand. • Key benefits for travellers include: • Discounts up to 40% (no minimum spend) across 14 top malls in Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui, Pattaya, Krabi, and Chiang Mai. • Buy 1 Get 1 Free offers on major attractions and experiences. • Complimentary lounge access and shuttle services between key retail hubs in Bangkok. • The offer is valid for package bookings made through 31 March 2027, featuring flexible cancellation policies and low deposit options.
📈 HNB and Browns Partner to Drive Sri Lankan Agricultural Mechanization
HNB PLC has signed an MoU with Browns and Company PLC to launch an exclusive leasing scheme aimed at making modern farm machinery accessible to local farmers and agribusinesses. • Key Highlights & Financing Terms - Applies to TAFE tractors, Yanmar and Sumo combine harvesters, and Sumo automated rice milling machinery. - HNB provides special leasing rates, a credit card with first-year annual fee waived, and discounted vehicle insurance through HNB General Insurance. • Equipment & After-Sales Benefits - TAFE Tractors: 2-year/2,000-hour warranty, 4 free labor services, free RMV registration, plus Browns-funded 1st-year insurance on select models (TAFE 45DI, TAFE 7250, TAFE 2WD). - Yanmar & Sumo Harvesters: Special warranty terms and 3 free labor services. - Sumo Automated Rice Mills: 1-year manufacturing defect warranty and 1 free post-commissioning service. • National Impact - Aims to modernize Sri Lanka's agriculture sector, enhance farm productivity, strengthen food security, and lower capital entry barriers for rural agribusiness entrepreneurs.
🚀 Homegrown Platform 'Ting' Unveils Multi-Vendor Ordering & Bill-Splitting in Sri Lanka
Edine Services (Pvt) Ltd, a fully Sri Lankan-owned platform services company, announced the official launch of its innovation-first delivery platform, Ting, set for 30 October 2026 across the Colombo district. • Key Features & Operations: • Multi-Vendor Ordering: Single-basket checkout allowing customers to mix meals, desserts, and groceries from multiple merchants in one single view. • Built-in Bill Splitting: Facilitates group ordering by allowing users to host payments, split bills equally, or pay individually for one single delivery location. • Managed Rider Fleet: Dedicated, structured rider fleet trained via Ting's Rider Hub for consistent service, with future plans for freelance rider onboarding. • Market Impact & Strategy: • Aims to disrupt the local food delivery & digital logistics ecosystem by creating a tailored local platform for consumer habits. • Provides local merchants with a more consistent, financially supportive commercial structure while planning further geographic expansion following the initial Colombo rollout.
📈 Cenmetrix and NOLIMIT Drive RFID Adoption in Sri Lanka Retail
Sri Lankan technology provider Cenmetrix has partnered with retail giant NOLIMIT to integrate RFID technology into store operations, launching at its flagship One Galle Face showroom. • Tech & Deployment: RFID enables instant multi-product scanning, replacing traditional single-item barcode methods to power RFID-enabled self-checkouts. • Operational Benefits: Delivers real-time inventory visibility, improves stock accuracy, reduces manual stock counts, and speeds up product location by size and color. • Industry Context: Highlights the digital transformation of Sri Lanka's retail and ICT/BPM sectors, moving physical stores toward tech-enabled automation and enhanced consumer convenience.
💳 Sampath Bank & Bancstac Partner to Enable Google Pay for Sri Lankan Merchants
Sampath Bank PLC has💳 Sampath Bank Partners with Bancstac to Launch Google Pay for Merchants • Strategic Partnership: Sampath Bank has extended its partnership with Bancstac to enable Google Pay acceptance via the bank’s Internet Payment Gateway (IPG). • Merchant Benefits: Provides immediate access to over 250 million digital wallet users across 85 countries to boost sales conversions and reduce cart abandonment on e-commerce platforms, apps, and digital invoices. • Zero Integration: Existing and onboarding IPG merchants require zero technical integration or development work to enable the feature. • Security & Settlement: Features biometric authentication and device tokenization to ensure card details remain secure, while standard financial settlement processes handle automatic real-time reconciliation. • National Impact: Enhances Sri Lanka's digital payment ecosystem and fintech infrastructure, helping local businesses expand reach to international customers and boost digital commerce adoption.
🚗 Uber Introduces Premium 'Uber Black' Service in Sri Lanka
• Service Overview: Uber has launched Uber Black in Sri Lanka, offering a premium "business class of back seats" experience with luxury compact SUVs/SUVs and top-rated drivers. • Customizable Features: Riders can personalize trip settings prior to pickup, including in-car temperature, luggage assistance, and opting for a quiet ride. • Market & Economic Alignment: Targets rising domestic demand for high-end experiences across business travel, airport rides, and special occasions, while supporting Sri Lanka’s growing tourism economy. • Product Portfolio Expansion: Extends Uber’s local mobility offerings—spanning low-cost Uber Moto and Tuk options to daily vehicle options and luxury travel—all integrated into a single app.
🚗 Renault Returns to Sri Lanka with New Experience Centre at Majestic City
Associated Motorways Ltd. (AMW) has officially launched the Renault Experience Centre at Majestic City, Colombo, marking a key milestone in the French automotive brand’s market return. • Key Highlights: - Models Displayed: Features the Renault Kwid, Renault Kiger, and Renault Triber, with test drives available on-site. - Immediate Delivery: AMW holds local stock, enabling vehicle delivery within as little as one day upon completed documentation. - Warranty & Support: Includes a three-year manufacturer warranty supported by dedicated automotive aftersales facilities. - Strategic Partnership: Managed by AMW, leveraging over seven decades of local mobility sector expertise. - Operational Hours: Open 7 days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. • Economic Context: - Signifies renewed activity in Sri Lanka's automotive and mobility sector, expanding vehicle availability and consumer choices through structured retail expansion.
📈 City of Dreams Sri Lanka to Host 9th Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka
City of Dreams Sri Lanka has partnered with the Academy of Design (AOD) and DIMO to host the 9th edition of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka (MBFWSL) from 7–11 October 2026 in Colombo. The event aims to position Colombo as South Asia’s premier cosmopolitan design city and global fashion hub. • Strategic Objective: Leverage an international platform to attract designers, buyers, media, and high-spending visitors to drive regional tourism, luxury hospitality, and full room-night stays in Colombo. • Key Participants & Media: Features international designers from India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan, alongside international media coverage including _Vogue Italia_. • Event Highlights: Includes 5 runway formats (The Colombo Edit, Future Craft, and Destination Island) and the invitation-only launch of She’s Mercedes in Sri Lanka on 10 October at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Lounge. • Economic & Industry Impact: Promotes apparel & textiles, creative design talent, and local manufacturing capabilities on a global stage while fostering commercial links between Sri Lankan designers and regional/global industry leaders.
🇱🇰 Corporate Giants Back ‘In Good Taste 2026’ at City of Dreams
• Overview: Leading Sri Lankan corporate brands including Singer, Luxury Brands, Wijeya Newspapers Group, Derana, and Ada Derana have partnered for ‘In Good Taste 2026’, an exclusive two-day lifestyle festival taking place on 7 and 8 November 2026. • Location & Venue: Hosted at The Shoppes at City of Dreams Sri Lanka, aiming to anchor a new chapter in Colombo’s lifestyle & retail landscape. • Strategic Focus: Positioned as both a consumer lifestyle experience and a premium corporate platform. Features include culinary competitions, celebrity chefs, fashion showcases, art installations, and live entertainment to connect brands with high-value consumers. • Key Partnerships: Media coverage and public relations support are led by Wijeya Newspapers Group, Derana Media Network, and Headlines PR / Interbrand.
📈 LB CIM & Thyaga Partner to Launch Digital Gifting
• LB CIM, the digital banking platform of LB Finance PLC, has partnered with Sri Lanka’s premier digital e-gifting platform, Thyaga, to integrate digital voucher services directly into its mobile app. • The feature allows users to send personalized digital gift vouchers for any preferred amount directly to friends and family. • Recipients can redeem vouchers across Thyaga's network of over 200 partner merchants island-wide, covering sectors such as fashion, dining, supermarkets, and everyday essentials. • The collaboration aligns with broader fintech and digital payments adoption in Sri Lanka, as LB CIM expands its services beyond traditional banking into a comprehensive lifestyle ecosystem.
📈 SriLankan Airlines Conducts A330 Flight Training for Etihad Airways
• Key Highlights: SriLankan Airlines Flight Training successfully completed a specialized Airbus A330 Line Flying Under Supervision (LFUS) program for six senior training and examination pilots from Etihad Airways, including five Type Rating Examiners (TREs) and one Senior Type Rating Examiner (STRE). • Strategic Value: The initiative highlights SriLankan Airlines' potential to leverage its fleet and instructor expertise to serve as a regional partner for aviation training services, expanding revenue and service capabilities beyond standard passenger operations. • Institutional Support: Program delivery was facilitated with regulatory frameworks and operational clearances from the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) and the Ministry of Defence, supporting Sri Lanka's positioning as a regional hub for professional aviation training.
📈 HNB Renew Partnership with Toyota Lanka for Flexible Vehicle Leasing
Hatton National Bank (HNB) has renewed its strategic partnership with Toyota Lanka Private Limited to provide flexible leasing packages and value-added benefits across Sri Lanka. • Partnership Overview: Covers Toyota passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles (Lite Ace trucks/vans, Hino), Toyota Forklifts, and industrial machinery through HNB's nationwide network. • Key Personal & Commercial Leasing Offers: • Passenger Vehicles: Special rates, unregistered rates for structured leases, and residual value options up to 50%. • Commercial Vehicles & Machinery: Discounted rates for Lite Ace, Hino, and machinery, alongside regular and structured leasing plans. • Value-Added Benefits: • HNB Financial Perks: Complimentary HNB credit card with the first-year fee waived and discounted insurance premiums via HNB General Insurance. • Toyota Lanka Warranties: Free vehicle registration, 3-year / 100,000 km warranty plus 3 complimentary services for Toyota vehicles. Forklifts receive a 2-year / 6,000-hour warranty and 3 labor-free services. • Economic Context: Supports national mobility & transport as well as SME & commercial growth by expanding accessible financing solutions for individuals and enterprises.