Colombo, Monday 3 August 2026: A new name in Sri Lankan hospitality is making its first major statement on the world stage. Colombo International Airport Hotel, through its cultural exchange platform Little Japan, is preparing to welcome one of the largest privately organised Japanese visitor delegations in the country’s history, over 250 travellers arriving in late August for a multi-day journey across the island. The delegation is organised by Dr. Ruwan Perera, Chairman of Colombo International Airport Hotel and a long-standing advocate for Japan-Sri Lanka relations.
Having lived in Japan for more than half of his life, Dr. Perera is an IT professional who holds several global patents, an experience that has deeply shaped his commitment to strengthening ties between the two countries. That personal connection to Japan has translated into more than a decade of sustained engagement between the two nations, positioning Little Japan as a genuine bridge for tourism, trade and investment rather than a one-off initiative. Under his Little Japan vision, Dr. Perera has built a long track record of bringing Japan and Sri Lanka closer together, from organising the Japan Expo in 2018 and 2019 and a Japan Festival in 2020, to hosting a 100-member group of Japanese mothers on a tour of the country in 2024 and a 45-member business delegation in 2025. This year’s 250-plus-member delegation is the largest yet, representing a more than five-fold increase in scale.
His vision extends beyond tourism and trade into philanthropy. Dr. Perera has helped develop over 50 schools across Sri Lanka, and during the pandemic organised a delegation of 40 Japanese, including doctors and nurses, who donated more than LKR 10 million and over 800kg of essential medicines to Colombo General Hospital. For Dr. Perera, this same spirit of long-term commitment underpins the business case for Little Japan, building the trust and goodwill that give Japanese investors and enterprises confidence to engage with Sri Lanka.
The delegation will be based in Colombo for arrival and departure, with the broader itinerary taking in destinations across the island over the course of the visit. The programme is organized under the campaign banner “Japan Returns to Sri Lanka,” marking a renewed chapter in travel and trade ties between the two nations.
Little Japan Founder and Chairman of Colombo International Airport Hotel, Dr. Ruwan Perera, stated, “This is more than a tour – it is a statement of confidence in Sri Lanka from Japan’s travel and business community. Bringing over 250 visitors together is a meaningful step in rebuilding the people-to-people and commercial ties between our two countries, and Little Japan is proud to be the platform that makes it possible.”
This delegation marks an important milestone for Colombo International Airport Hotel and Little Japan, reflecting Dr. Ruwan Perera’s continued vision of connecting Japanese investors, businesses and travellers with Sri Lanka. Both organisations remain committed to building on this momentum through continued engagement with Japanese travellers, investors and institutions in the years ahead.
About Colombo International Airport Hotel
Colombo International Airport Hotel is a Japanese-supported hospitality property near Bandaranaike International Airport, serving as a gateway for international delegations, transit travellers and business visitors entering Sri Lanka.
About Little Japan
Little Japan is a platform connecting Japanese visitors, businesses and institutions with Sri Lankan destinations, enterprises and communities, fostering cultural exchange and bilateral business ties. Little Japan is an initiative of Colombo International Airport Hotel.
