PRE-ARRIVAL INFORMATION

IMPORTANT ADVISORY - PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Sri Lanka is preparing for its presidential elections, which will take place on Saturday,
September 21 (voting day) and Sunday, September 22 (vote counting). Normal conditions are expected to resume from the first day of our meeting on September 23.

Election-Related Disruptions: It is a presidential and not general government election with most of these types of elections going smoothly. Whilst we do not anticipate disruption, however, Public demonstrations related to the elections may occur across Sri Lanka and could potentially disrupt traffic and public transportation. We have conducted a thorough risk assessment and will continue to advise all delegates
on simple common-sense measures over the period.

What This Means for You: Please exercise caution during the election period. Staying within the hotel premises as far as possible will offer a safer environment. Note that the critical election period is September 21 to September 22.

Key Recommendations:

  • Avoid any protests or large public gatherings.

  • Use the highway route from the airport to the Hilton Hotel in Colombo to minimize disruptions

  • Use the airport transfer service arranged directly through the Hilton Hotel. For airport transfer arrangements, please contact the reservations department at colombo.reservations@hilton.com.

  • Hotel Stay: If you are arriving on Saturday, September 21, we advise all delegates to remain within the hotel grounds over the entire weekend.

  • Travel Insurance: We strongly encourage all delegates to obtain travel insurance that covers impact / disruption caused by political activity or civil unrest.

  • Family Holiday Advisory: If you plan to extend your stay for a family holiday before or after the conference, please assess the safety of your travel destinations.  

    Communication Support

    A WhatsApp group will be established to serve as a helpline for any local assistance you may require. Contact details for this group will be shared via email and available here very soon.

We appreciate your attention to these advisories and thank you for your cooperation. Should you have any questions or require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

AIRPORT TRANSFER - HOTEL

To arrange pick up from airport, please contact the hotel reservations department - colombo.reservations@hilton.com

The current airport transfers rates are as follows:

    1. By Sedan Car (max. 3 pax with luggage) : USD 48.38 + applicable taxes per way (USD 65 net per way)

    2. By A/C. Micro Van (max. 7 pax with luggage) : USD 63.27 + applicable taxes per way (USD 85 net per way)

    3. By A/C. Mercedes E Class (max. 3 pax with luggage) : USD 70.71 + applicable taxes per way (USD 95 net per way)

AIRPORT TRANSFER - TAXI

If you are to take a taxi, below are the approximate rates. Please note that normal taxis do not have a fixed rate from airport to Colombo CBD. The actual prices are highly dependent on demand at the airport

    1. UBER: LKR 5,000-6,000 (USD 17 - USD 20)

    2. Normal Taxi: average fare of $20.00 - $30.00 to downtown Colombo.

COVID-19 REQUIREMENTS

At present, Sri Lanka has lifted all COVID-19-related restrictions for travelers entering the country. This means that visitors are no longer required to observe any quarantine periods or present negative COVID-19 test results upon arrival.