The Future Of Tourism In Sri Lanka: Gaming And Leisure As Economic Engines

Published on December 1, 2025

Examining nan collaboration of nan gaming assemblage and tourism, Sri Lanka continues to marketplace nan Island arsenic nan up and coming prima for intermezo and leisure successful nan South Asian region. At nan SiGMA South Asia 2025 successful Colombo, Sri Lanka, nan integrated mega-resort, spearheaded by nan gaming manufacture and world-class hospitality successful tourism, nan participants of nan arena discussed nan imaginable of transforming nan state into a business tourism hotspot, luxury unit and gaming tourism.

The Rising Influence of Integrated Resorts successful South Asia

During nan SiGMA South Asia sheet titled Tourism & Casino arsenic Growth Twin-Engines, experts shared insights connected nan increasing value of integrated resorts, particularly successful nan Asia-Pacific region. These massive, all-encompassing resorts are designed to connection everything from luxury accommodations and shopping to modern gaming and eating experiences. The panelists, including Dr. Dharshana Weerakoon, Group COO of ADN Holdings, and Artur Manasaryan, Deputy Head of B2B astatine BetConstruct, explored really Sri Lanka could leverage this inclination to boost its tourism appeal.

Moderator Jenny Ortiz-Bolivar, an Asia Lead Senior Journalist astatine SiGMA Group, highlighted nan improvement of tourism and gaming sectors successful Asia, noting that integrated resorts are nary longer conscionable a niche marketplace but a driving unit successful nan tourism industry. “Integrated resorts are large successful this portion of nan world,” she said, mounting nan shape for a chat astir nan early intersection betwixt tourism and casino developments successful Sri Lanka.

Shifting Consumer Expectations and nan Digital Influence

Dr. Weerakoon pointed retired nan shifting expectations of world tourists, peculiarly erstwhile it comes to really destinations are marketed and perceived. “Guests now trust heavy connected TripAdvisor, societal media, and nan wide integer footprint of a destination,” he said, emphasizing nan value of a resort’s integer presence. With modern travelers progressively making decisions based connected online reviews, societal media presence, and seamless booking experiences, Sri Lanka’s tourism assemblage needs to germinate to meet these caller demands.

For nan caller activity of tourists, convenience has go essential. Proximity to airports, easiness of access, reliable Wi-Fi, and speedy check-in procedures each play a important domiciled successful shaping nan cognition of a destination. This accent connected convenience is expected to beryllium a game-changer for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, peculiarly arsenic nan land integrates some accepted tourism and modern gaming offerings into a unified experience.

The Future of Land-Based and Digital Gaming Integration

As world tourism moves further into nan integer age, Sri Lanka’s integrated resorts must besides germinate to meet nan needs of digital-first consumers. The sheet discussed really land-based operators tin accommodate successful a world wherever integer platforms play a cardinal role. Artur Manasaryan emphasized, “It’s intolerable to enactment offline successful this century… it’s not moreover nan future, it’s now.” The usage of integer devices to heighten impermanent experiences—such arsenic done personalized online gaming, loyalty programs, and integer marketing—is expected to play a cardinal domiciled successful shaping nan early of Sri Lanka’s tourism offerings.

Brady Hiscox, Managing Director of Cosanta Technology Group, pointed retired nan worth of online information successful improving nan land-based experience. “Online operators person been capturing truthful overmuch customer data—likes, dislikes, favourite games. When you link that pinch land-based venues, you tin create personalized experiences,” he explained. The integration of integer devices pinch land-based resorts will not only heighten nan impermanent acquisition but besides pull tech-savvy visitors looking for tailored, high-quality service.

Balancing Online and Land-Based Gaming Models

As nan world gaming marketplace evolves, a hybrid exemplary combining some online and land-based gaming has gained momentum. Artur noted that markets specified arsenic Latin America, Africa, and Europe are already seeing this convergence, wherever online and land-based operators complement alternatively than compete pinch each other. He highlighted nan seamless experiences players now expect, specified arsenic online gaming options that link them pinch beingness resorts.

Brady warned against nan threat of “paralysis by analysis,” encouraging operators to clasp integer translator while focusing connected nan cardinal accusation that drives customer satisfaction. “You request curated information. Operators emotion paperwork, but they request to clasp integer transformation,” he added, reinforcing nan request for nan tourism and gaming sectors to move guardant pinch innovation.

Technology, Security, and Logistics successful Integrated Resorts

One of nan cardinal discussions centered astir nan technological gaps successful integrated edifice planning, particularly erstwhile it comes to logistics and security. Brady highlighted nan overlooked value of logistics technology, stressing that soft operations are captious for a resort’s success. “Getting things stuck successful customs is simply a nightmare without due systems,” he said, pointing retired that edifice operators must attraction connected technological solutions to streamline operations.

In summation to logistics, information exertion besides plays a important domiciled successful creating a safe and comfortable situation for guests. Dr. Weerakoon emphasized that impermanent spot is basal successful this industry, peculiarly erstwhile visitors are engaging successful some tourism and gaming activities. “The reliability of a resort, its comfort, and information are cardinal to ensuring repetition business,” he said.

Regulation and Trust successful nan Gaming Industry

Regulation was different cardinal taxable of discussion. Both Artur and Brady highlighted nan value of robust regularisation successful building spot pinch customers and preventing nan emergence of unregulated markets. Artur reflected connected his acquisition successful nan UK, noting that location is nary stigma astir casinos erstwhile they are decently regulated. “Regulated operators shine. It gives group nan spot they request to consciousness safe,” he said.

Brady agreed, adding that well-structured regularisation ensures transparency, reduces corruption, and encourages finance successful nan sector. Jenny Ortiz-Bolivar besides emphasized nan important domiciled of regularisation successful maturing Sri Lanka’s gaming industry, calling it “the cardinal to manufacture maturation.”

The Future of Sri Lanka’s Tourism and Gaming Synergy

There is awesome nickname among manufacture stakeholders connected nan imaginable of Sri Lanka to heighten its world competitiveness successful nan tourism and gaming manufacture and summation a competitory separator successful providing personalized and elastic services geared toward nan sector’s peculiar challenges. When these technologies are implemented on pinch responsive regulations to build nan spot basal to innovate and negociate risk, nan outcomes tin beryllium transformative. While nan leaders successful nan tourism assemblage proceed to create a blueprint, nan state will surely beryllium 1 of nan astir competitory and diversified tourism destinations successful nan South Asia region.