Explore Sri Lanka’s New Digital Land Bank for Tourism Development

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Current at : June 2025

Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), is launching a digital land bank, the Land Bank Management Information System (LBMIS), offering over 3,000 acres of state-owned land on 33-year leases to both local and international investors.

This move aims to attract between $50-60 million in investments, facilitating the development of various tourism projects from luxury resorts to eco-lodges.

The SLTDA emphasizes a transparent and efficient process with a single-window mechanism to streamline approvals, while also asserting that undeveloped land will be reclaimed to ensure project implementation.

Sri Lanka has launched a significant initiative to boost its tourism sector through the “Land Bank Management Information System (LBMIS),” a centralized digital platform offering over 3,000 acres of state and private land for tourism development.

This move aims to attract high-value, low-impact tourism, facilitate foreign direct investments (FDIs), and position Sri Lanka as a premier destination in Asia.

Key Themes

Launch of the Land Bank Management Information System (LBMIS):

• The LBMIS is a “centralised, automated platform” accessible at landbank.sltda.gov.lk.
• It provides a “repository of pre-evaluated land parcels suitable for a range of tourism projects, from luxury resorts and boutique hotels to eco-lodges and wellness retreats.”
• The system allows potential investors to “browse, evaluate, and apply for strategically located land parcels.”
• Crucially, it also enables private landowners to “list their properties for potential partnerships, lease, or sale,” expanding the available tourism footprint.

Focus on Transparency and Efficiency

• The LBMIS marks a “transformative shift from previous opaque procedures to a more streamlined and investor-friendly model.”
• Deputy Tourism Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe stated, “We are creating a transparent and efficient mechanism for investors.”
• The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA)’s Investor Relations Unit (IRU) will “facilitate the process, assisting with approvals, permits, and clearances through a single-window mechanism,” aiming to “cut red tape and accelerate project delivery.”

Land Allocation and Accountability

• All lands will be granted under a “33-year lease agreement.”
• A strict policy is in place to ensure project implementation: “If projects remain stagnant, land will be reclaimed and reallocated to more serious developers.”
• Prof. Ranasinghe emphasized, “Land that remains undeveloped will be returned to the bank and offered to other serious investors.” This demonstrates a commitment to “accelerate sustainable tourism development.”

Diverse Portfolio of Land Parcels

• The land bank features “over 20 identified plots across major tourism zones,” offering a “mix of beach, eco, cultural, and agri-tourism potential.”
• Flagship properties listed include:
• Dedduwa Lake Resort Zone (South): 1,713 acres for integrated luxury developments.
• Kalpitiya Islands (Uchchamunai – 1,095 acres, Baththalangunduwa – 291 acres): For marine and coastal resort ventures, including integrated resorts with marine tourism.
• Kuchchaveli Beach Zone: 74 acres for premium beachfront hotels.
• Trincomalee: 40 acres at Rasool Thottam for agri-tourism and 4 acres in Allas Garden for boutique projects/smaller ventures.
• Pasikudah Beachfront: 6.5 acres for high-end resorts.
• Pidurangala area: 19 acres for nature and heritage-based tourism near Sigiriya rock fortress.
• Bentota National Holiday Resort: 24 acres with options for cultural centers, retail, Folk Art Centre, and shopping complex units.

These sites are selected based on ensuring equitable regional development.

• proximity to key attractions
• existing infrastructure
• environmental viability

Strategic Vision and Economic Goals

• This initiative aligns with Sri Lanka’s broader vision to “attract high-value, low-impact tourism, targeting over 2.5 million arrivals by 2026.”
• The country aims to significantly increase tourism earnings, which were “USD 2.07 billion in 2023,” by “facilitating large-scale foreign direct investments (FDIs) through this initiative.”
• The overall goal is to “position Sri Lanka as a premier destination in Asia.”
• The first tender round has already opened, with “three projects totalling $55 million confirmed in the Eastern and Northern Provinces.” The broader target for investments is “$50-60 million.”

Call for Investment and Collaboration

• The SLTDA is actively calling for “Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from both domestic and international investors with proven track records in tourism development.”
• Private landowners are strongly encouraged to “contribute to the platform,” joining the process to “expand the tourism footprint while ensuring transparency and faster decision-making.”
• Collaboration with “Divisional Secretariats” and other “land-owning State agencies”

The following organisations are tasked to identify and future additional plots.

• Sri Lanka Ports Authority
• Urban Development Authority
• Mahaweli Authority

Sri Lanka’s new digital land bank represents a proactive and modernised approach to tourism development, emphasizing transparency, efficient investment facilitation, strategic land allocation, and sustainable growth, with a clear objective to elevate the country’s position in the global tourism market.

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