Sancharaka Udawa 2026: Sri Lanka's Largest Tourism Fair Opens in Colombo This Week

Sancharaka Udawa 2026, Sri Lanka’s only dedicated travel and tourism exhibition, returns to the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo this week. The 13th edition runs on Thursday 15 and Friday 16 May, from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm on both days.

Organised by the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), the fair brings together more than 250 exhibitors across 300-plus stalls alongside over 100 international hosted buyers. The largest buyer delegation is arriving from India, which has already emerged as Sri Lanka’s dominant source market in 2026, contributing more than 200,000 of the island’s 904,855 arrivals recorded through early May.

What the fair covers

Exhibitors span the full depth of Sri Lanka’s travel sector: hotels, resorts, boutique properties, heritage homestays, and villa operators sit alongside transport companies, domestic airlines, and wildlife jeep providers. Adventure operators — paragliding, rafting, whale watching, water sports — are also represented, together with wedding planners, provincial tourism authorities, and cultural heritage sites.

The programme runs both B2B and B2C streams. Trade sessions include structured buyer-seller meetings and panel discussions with senior industry figures. The public-facing segment gives visitors the chance to browse deals and packages directly from operators — useful if you are already in Colombo and want to plan the rest of your Sri Lanka itinerary on the spot.

Why this matters in May 2026

The fair arrives at a significant moment. Arrivals have crossed 900,000 for the year, but April and May have been softer than expected. Parliament approved a free ETA for nationals of 40 countries on 7 May, and new air routes from Australia, Vietnam, and the UK are set to add capacity through the second half of the year. Sancharaka Udawa is where these threads come together — it gives a real-time read on where packages, prices, and emerging Sri Lanka destinations are heading.

Getting there

BMICH sits in Colombo 7, roughly 10 minutes by ride-hailing app or tuk-tuk from Fort and Pettah. For visitors arriving from overseas, our Colombo airport guide covers the journey from Bandaranaike International Airport, and our flights to Sri Lanka page has current route options. For the best of the city while you are here, see our Colombo things to do guide.

Public admission details are available on the official Sancharaka Udawa website. We recommend confirming entry arrangements before making the trip.

Event details at a glance

• When: 15–16 May 2026, 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
• Where: Sirimavo Bandaranaike Exhibition Halls A, B & C, BMICH, Colombo 7
• Organised by: SLAITO