News & market updates

Salesforce kicked off Dreamforce 2025 and said it is supporting Sri Lanka’s digital economy, partnering locally with firms including Cinnamon Hotels and Keells Super to deploy AI CRM and Agentforce for improved customer experience and efficiency.

John Keells Hotels' Cinnamon Grand Colombo hosted LOVI Ceylon's send-off dinner for Sri Lanka's national women's cricket team and unveiled the team's ceremonial attire ahead of the ICC Women's World Cup. The event drew Sri Lanka Cricket representatives, players, coaches and community partners.

Cinnamon Life will host Colombo’s first Rooftop Oktoberfest at The Podium from Oct 16–19, with tickets priced at LKR 8,900 nett per person. The four-day event features Colombo’s largest Oktoberfest buffet and live music lineups against city views.

Yoroko at Cinnamon Life (John Keells Hotels) will hold Yakitori Week from 15–21 October, offering a six-cut yakitori platter priced at 6,000 LKR++ at its Level 23 restaurant.

John Keells Group's Cinnamon Air began Colombo–Katunayake services with the opening of a Beira Lake water aerodrome, landing at the Cinnamon Lakeside Pier. The launch aims to expand domestic aviation and support tourism, with studies for more landing sites and future heliports under way.

Cinnamon Life (John Keells Hotels) ran a Beach Care cleanup at Uswetakeiyawa Beach, removing over 400 kg of plastic and installing a permanent garbage bin to support coastal conservation.

The ILO held a high-level regional dialogue in Colombo (23–26 Sep 2025) to advance living wages and launched the Asia‑Pacific Digital Repository for Minimum Wages. The initiative seeks to align wage-setting with ILO principles, which could affect labour costs in the hospitality sector.

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts (John Keells Hotels PLC) won eight titles, including multiple Gold awards, at the 9th South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) 2025. Wins include Surf Resort of the Year for Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives and Gold for Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives; GM Kamal Munasinghe was named GM of the Year and promoted to COO.

Sri Lanka MICE Expo 2025 opened on 23 September at Cinnamon Life, hosting 115+ international MICE and travel operators and expected to facilitate over 10,000 B2B meetings to promote Sri Lanka as a MICE destination.

SLTDA cut Sri Lanka's 2025 tourist arrival forecast to 2.6 million (from 3.0 million) as the SATA 2025 forum in Colombo pushed for regional collaboration, joint marketing and tech-driven, regenerative tourism to boost the sector.

Karma Fight League (KFL 006) will be held at Cinnamon Life on October 11, bringing international fighters and fans to Colombo and expected to boost tourism and hotel demand in the city.

John Keells Hotels' Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams is offering a weekday corporate MICE package starting at Rs. 9,000++ per person throughout October. The integrated resort provides over 160,000 sq.ft. of event space, five ballrooms and a 25,000 sq.ft. open-air Podium for large events.

Chaudhary Group says its homes, hotels, factories and showrooms in Nepal were attacked and damaged in recent violent protests and vows to rebuild and recover. The group highlights its Sri Lankan footprint, including partnerships with Ceylon Hotels Corporation and John Keells.

Trans Asia Hotels PLC, Asian Hotels & Properties PLC and John Keells Hotels PLC appointed Nayana Mawilmada as a Non-Executive Director to their boards. Mawilmada is President of John Keells' Leisure and Property industry groups and has prior urban development and international development experience.

Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams is offering exclusive Sri Lankan resident rates starting at Rs. 15,050 per person (double occupancy) from 10 September to 31 October 2025, featuring stays across 800 rooms and on-site dining, wellness and entertainment options.

Cinnamon Grand Colombo will serve as the official hospitality partner for the second AC Milan Junior Camp in Sri Lanka, scheduled Sept 8–13, 2025, part of a continuing AC Milan–Colombo Athletic & Football Academy partnership that aims to boost youth development and sports tourism.

Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams (John Keells Hotels PLC) won the JKH Inter-Company Swimming Meet 2025, claiming the Overall Championship and both the men's and women's titles.

The government has established a Tourism Promotion Task Force empowered to make decisions to revitalize the tourism industry and boost national income. The inaugural session included government officials and private sector representatives, including John Keells Holdings CEO Krishan Balendra.

Yoroko at Cinnamon Life is hosting Donburi Week from 8–14 September, offering eight donburi bowls with prices starting at Rs.3,000+++; LIFE members receive a 10% discount.

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts has appointed Kamal Munasinghe as COO to lead operations across its 17 resorts and hotels in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Munasinghe brings nearly 30 years' regional and international hospitality experience and will focus on operational excellence and guest‑centric innovation.

Kandy Myst by Cinnamon (part of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts) has been awarded LEED v4 BD+C Gold, the first hotel in Kandy to receive this certification. The project reports 15% energy savings, 730 tCO2e avoided annually and 16 million liters of water saved per year.

John Keells Hotels (Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts) appointed Nazoomi Azhar as General Manager of Cinnamon Grand Colombo and Dushyantha Tittawella as General Manager of Cinnamon Lakeside, effective 1 September 2025.

John Keells Hotels (KHL.N0000) appointed Hishan Singhawansa as CEO of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts. The article highlights his 17 years at John Keells Group and growth plans as tourism rebounds, noting the $1.2bn Cinnamon Life integrated resort in Colombo.

John Keells Holdings inaugurated the $1.2 billion City of Dreams integrated casino resort in Colombo as Sri Lanka pushes casinos to boost tourism; the government also passed gambling regulation and aims to raise arrivals to 3 million and tourism revenues to $5 billion.

Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams Sri Lanka (part of John Keells Hotels) features a Level 9 wellness centre and gym with certified trainers, cutting-edge equipment, steam rooms and saunas, enhancing the property's luxury guest wellness offering.

Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams won the “Sustainable Construction – Leisure Sector” award at the CIOB Sri Lanka Sustainability Awards 2025. The award, presented on 16 August 2025 and endorsed by the Ministry of Urban Development with the President as chief guest, highlights Cinnamon Life’s energy-efficient design, water conservation and recycling initiatives.

The Sri Lanka–Maldives Business Council held its 17th AGM and Maldives Business Forum, generating about $60–70m in potential investments including several hotel projects; Aitken Spence and John Keells executives took council leadership roles and Kelani Cables is on the new committee.

The Sri Lanka–Maldives Business Council concluded its 17th AGM and led a Maldives Business Forum that secured about $60–70m in potential investments, including three new hotel projects and a 100-room luxury mountain hotel. Sanjeewa Perera was appointed Council President and Aitken Spence’s Suranga Ratnayake was named Senior Vice President.

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts (part of the John Keells Hotels/John Keells group) won the "Leadership in Gender Equality" award at the DEI Champions Awards 2025 for its DE&I initiatives, including EmpowHer and the PWD Inclusion Plan.

John Keells Holdings said the US$1.2bn City of Dreams Sri Lanka launch (Aug 2025) positions Sri Lanka as a regional gaming hub and is expected to boost tourism, create thousands of jobs and attract significant FDI, supporting higher hotel demand.