Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority joins GovPay
The Morning: The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has joined GovPay – the government’s digital payment platform.
This integration enables online payments for a wide range of SLTDA services, offering greater convenience to stakeholders across the tourism ecosystem.
Tourism lies at the heart of Sri Lanka’s economic revival. By embracing GovPay, SLTDA aims to streamline processes, reduce administrative hurdles, and create a more transparent and efficient business environment – further supporting the government’s vision of positioning Sri Lanka as a tourist destination powered by digital innovation.
This integration allows tourism industry operators across the country to pay the Tourism Development Levy including under-payments, defaults, and late payments seamlessly through their banks’ internet and mobile banking portals or any FinTech app connected to GovPay.
Currently, digital payment platforms of 14 banks including Amana Bank, Bank of Ceylon, Cargills Bank, Commercial Bank, DFCC Bank, HNB, Nations Trust Bank, NDB, National Savings Bank, Pan Asia Bank, People’s Bank, Sampath Bank, SDB Bank and Seylan Bank along with six fintech apps including CIM by LB Finance, FriMi, Genie, Helapay, iPay and WEBXPAY, support payments to SLTDA via GovPay.
Launched in February under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, GovPay is a collaborative effort by the Information Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) and LankaPay which is aptly backed by the Ministry of Digital Economy.
Aimed to change the way the citizens access public services, since its launch, the platform has facilitated payments for 1,773 government services, with a total transaction value exceeding Rs. 110 million. SLTDA is the 134th institution to have been onboarded GovPay.
SLTDA Chairperson Buddhika Hewawasam said: “The launch of GovPay is a testament to our commitment to digital transformation and improving public services. By integrating with this platform, we expect a significant boost in efficiency across tourism-related transactions, making Sri Lanka an even more attractive destination for investors and visitors alike.”
Addressing the gathering, Chief Advisor to the President on Digital Economy Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya said: “It is truly rewarding for the teams at LankaPay and ICTA to receive the enthusiastic support and commitment of institutions such as the SLTDA in growing the impact and reach of this pan-government platform.”
ICTA Board Director Harsha Purasinghe said: “With TDL payments and license renewals now powered by GovPay, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority is embracing digital payments in a way that delivers real value to the industry. This transformation not only saves time and effort for tourism institutions but also ensures a smoother, more reliable service experience for all stakeholders.”
As the operator of the national payment network and a key partner of GovPay, LankaPay operates the GovPay platform, ensuring the security and reliability of all transactions made via GovPay.
LankaPay CEO Channa de Silva said: “Our role in GovPay underscores our commitment to fostering a cashless economy and promoting financial inclusion. With state-of-the-art security measures in place, we guarantee that all payments are processed securely and efficiently, offering unparalleled convenience, which is paramount to wider adoption of GovPay by both citizens and institutions.”
OSL take:
The steady growth recorded by Sri Lanka’s economy and key economic sectors have in turn resulted in the expansion of the country’s digital industry and related sectors. These expansions have also resulted in the opening of many business/investment opportunities, especially given that Sri Lanka is working towards becoming a hub in the South Asian region. The growth being recorded by Sri Lanka has made it important for the country to be on par with the fast-evolving global developments in the digital industry as well as related sectors. It is in such a backdrop that the Sri Lankan government has launched an aggressive digitalization programme covering all key economic sectors in the country. The country’s focus on transforming into an e-economy and the growth as well as profits recorded by businesses already engaged in Sri Lanka’s digital industry and related sectors are indicative of the increasing business potential in the industry. All these are indicative of the increasing demand for digital payment platforms in all economic sectors as well. Foreign businesses/investors could therefore explore the expanding business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s digital industry and related sectors.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20250925/Z_1 |