By:Staff Writer

August 12, Colombo (LNW): CEAT has once again secured its position as Sri Lanka’s leading tyre brand, topping the Brand Finance Lanka rankings as the ‘Most Valuable Tyre Brand’ for 2025. The company recorded a 15% growth in brand value to Rs. 2.325 billion, earning the 44th spot among the nation’s top 100 brands.

The latest Brand Finance report also ranked CEAT as the sixth strongest consumer brand in Sri Lanka, with an impressive Brand Strength Index score of 83.3 out of 100 and a coveted AAA- rating — an accolade achieved by only a select group of brands in the country. On the global stage, CEAT is recognised as the eighth strongest tyre brand worldwide.

CEAT Kelani Holdings Managing Director Ravi Dadlani attributed the success to a combination of quality, strategic clarity, innovation, and strong consumer trust. “To remain Sri Lanka’s most valuable tyre brand and among the top 10 strongest consumer brands is a tribute to our product quality, our clear strategy, and consistent execution,” Dadlani said. He also credited operational discipline and a relentless focus on innovation for sustaining the company’s market leadership.

Despite intense competition, CEAT maintains 100% brand awareness in Sri Lanka, selling more than 1.2 million tyres annually. Its reach extends well beyond local borders, with exports to over 110 countries, including key markets in Europe and the United States. The brand is also the most awarded tyre manufacturer in the country.

A major driver of CEAT’s momentum in 2025 has been its 360-degree marketing campaign, which has repositioned its premium car radial range as “German Engineered” tyres. The campaign promotes controlled, comfortable driving and has been rolled out across multiple channels, including television, digital platforms, cinema, print, outdoor advertising, and retail displays.

To strengthen its market position further, CEAT is investing in advanced manufacturing technologies and expanding its product portfolio. The company is focusing on car and SUV radials, with the recent launch of the CEAT Europe Range, designed for high-performance European vehicles. Continuous product improvements are also being made across its passenger vehicle range to meet evolving customer demands.

CEAT’s expansion strategy also includes the development of a nationwide premium retail network, aimed at enhancing customer experience and elevating service quality standards. These outlets are designed to reflect the brand’s premium positioning, providing consumers with a consistent and superior purchase and service environment.

With its sustained growth in brand value, strong market share, and global recognition, CEAT’s 2025 performance underscores its ability to adapt, innovate, and lead in a competitive industry. The combination of strong domestic presence, international market reach, and a clear commitment to quality and service has solidified CEAT’s place at the top of Sri Lanka’s tyre market — and among the most respected consumer brands in the country.

By: Staff Writer

August 12, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s tourism revenue surpassed $2 billion in the first seven months of 2025, though July saw a slight year-on-year dip despite strong arrivals. Central Bank data showed earnings reached $2.03 billion, up 7.8% from last year, but still short of the 2018 January–July record of $2.59 billion.

In July, the sector earned $318.5 million, down 3% from $328.3 million a year earlier, despite welcoming 200,244 visitors. However, compared to June’s $169.5 million, July revenue jumped 88%, driven by higher daily arrivals and peak summer travel demand. The year’s highest monthly earnings so far remain January’s $400.66 million.

To achieve the Government’s $5 billion annual target, the industry must generate $2.96 billion in the next five months—averaging nearly $594 million per month, double the current pace.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake remains optimistic, predicting 2025 will set a new tourism revenue record. Industry analysts warn that sustained high-spending tourists and stronger global marketing are crucial, with delays in branding campaigns hindering momentum.

With Sri Lanka recently named the world’s best island for 2025 by Big 7 Travel, the Cabinet has approved a Presidential Task Force to fast-track tourism development and capitalise on global attention.

In this context , the government has given green light for the private sector to establish casinos to lure tourists especially from India.

The Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) has said the proposed Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) law will not be adequate to meet the challenging task of overseeing the thriving casino industry.In spite of discussions held since Nov., 2022 when the CoPF formally called for the establishment of dedicated GRA, the relevant stakeholders hadn’t been able to reach a consensus, political sources said.

CoPF Chairman and SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva yesterday (10), he emphasised that the parliamentary committee on several occasions had urged the previous government (Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa arrangement) and the incumbent National People’s Power (NPP) government to secure expert advice from jurisdictions that run well-regulated casinos, like Singapore, they weren’t interested.

The CoPF Chairman said that the issue at hand had attracted fresh attention in the wake of the opening of the country’s first integrated resort City of Dreams, an 800-room hotel that housed what the operators called a world class gaming area with license to operate for 20 years.

John Keells Holdings (JKH) has teamed up with Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited (“Melco”) developer, owner and operator of integrated resort facilities in Asia and Europe.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake opened the facility on August 2 that received approval from the Finance Ministry during Ranil Wickremesinghe’s tenure as the President and Finance Minister. NPP and JVP leader Dissanayake currently holds the Finance portfolio.

The CoPF relentlessly pushed the Finance Ministry to finance the process by September 2023 and then by March 31, 2024.

The Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government granted approval for the JKH-Melco project though CoPF on Nov 24, 2022 declared that no new licenses would be issued until the formulation of GRA. Sources said that this announcement was made when CoPF considered two extraordinary gazette notifications on casinos but weren’t approved.

Sources alleged that the Finance Ministry failed to adhere to decisions taken by CoPF to ensure the speedy finalisation of the process to ensure the setting up of GRA in line with international standards. However, for want of the required commitment of the Finance Ministry, the CoPF couldn’t achieve what it wanted to.

By: Staff Writer

August 12, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka Customs (SLC) is set to take over import and export clearance functions from the Board of Investment (BOI) by October 2025, a move buried in the latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) program review that has triggered alarm among investors.

The IMF’s July 2025 report reveals that the Government, citing “possible revenue leakage,” agreed to shift the BOI’s long-standing trade facilitation role to Customs—despite offering no proof and without this being part of the original IMF commitments.

Critics warn that this decision will severely undermine Sri Lanka’s competitiveness against major investment hubs such as the UAE, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam, and India, all of which operate special economic zones designed to expedite global trade.

The BOI’s trade facilitation system, established over three decades ago, was intended to attract investment in Free Trade Zones, streamline export processing, and avoid outdated laws that often breed corruption.

Although BOI already operates on Customs’ ASYCUDA system and Customs officers oversee compliance within zones, the final documentation and clearance functions have remained with the BOI, enabling faster processing. Customs, however, retains authority to inspect, audit, and monitor cargo when warranted.

By fully transferring control to Customs, stakeholders fear trade facilitation will give way to bureaucratic delays and increased opportunities for corruption. Non-BOI traders have long complained about inefficiencies, congestion, and abuse of power under Customs’ century-old ordinance. The Sri Lanka Shippers’ Council has repeatedly highlighted how Customs’ practices disrupt supply chains under various pretexts.

Investor representatives say they were not consulted before the Government committed to this reform, and BOI management has expressed strong opposition, warning that such changes—introduced without offering special concessions—will make Sri Lanka a far less attractive investment destination. Sources indicate that investors have already urged the Government to reverse the move.

This takeover bid is not new. For over 25 years, Customs has sought to absorb BOI’s clearance functions, with two Supreme Court rulings between 1999 and 2003 blocking earlier attempts. The current push, insiders allege, comes after lobbying by Customs unions and a senior government official sympathetic to their cause, using IMF reforms as political cover.

With no evidence of revenue leakage, no digitalisation drive, and no overhaul of outdated Customs laws, critics see the move as a power grab rather than a genuine efficiency measure—one that risks dismantling investor-friendly systems that have been in place for decades.