Travellers and hotel guests
India is the island's largest source of visitors, and Indian groups also invest in Colombo hotels.[1]
- Airport pick-up and hotel details
- Day-trip changes to Kandy or Galle
- Check-out and return-flight reminders
Western Province
WhatsApp Business API for Indian businesses with people in Colombo
More visitors reach Sri Lanka from India than from anywhere else, on flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad to Colombo. For an Indian business, every message to the city starts with two questions: whose number is it, and which language did they choose?
A Colombo business
- Hello! We land in Colombo from Delhi on Saturday morning. Is our airport pick-up confirmed?
- Yes, Mr Nair. Your driver will wait at arrivals with your name on a sign, and hotel check-in is from 14:00.
- Thank you. Can we move the Galle day trip to Monday?
- Done: pick-up at 07:30 on Monday from the hotel lobby. Have a good flight!
For India-based tour operators, hotels, shipping firms, exporters and banks with travellers, guests or customers in Colombo: which messages are billed at the India rate and which at Sri Lanka's, when to write in Sinhala, Tamil or English, and how a shared clock changes the working day.
See it work
Before you send to Colombo: which rate, which language?
Answer two questions about the person you are messaging, and the tree tells you how Meta will price the message and which template version to send.
The tree matters most to tour operators and hotels, whose guests arrive on Indian numbers and sometimes switch to a local SIM halfway through a trip. Store the number they want updates on, and the rate follows from it.
Templates are approved per language, so a Colombo programme often needs English, Sinhala and Tamil versions of the same booking message. The Sri Lanka guide covers the national rules.
One message, two decisions
Question 1 · up to 2
Whose number is it?
Your answers
None yet — pick an answer to start down the tree.
Path map
Depth 0 of up to 2. Circles are questions, squares are outcomes.
All possible outcomes (4)
India rate; English, Hindi or Tamil template
A +91 number is billed at the India rate even in Colombo. Send the template version the traveller chose: en, hi or ta.
Path: “A traveller from India, on a +91 number”
Sri Lanka rate; Sinhala template (si_LK)
A +94 number is billed at the Sri Lanka rate. Send the Sinhala version, written natively rather than translated line by line.
Path: “A Colombo resident, on a +94 number” → “Sinhala”
Sri Lanka rate; Tamil template (ta)
Billed at the Sri Lanka rate. Tamil is an official language of Sri Lanka and on Meta's list as ta.
Path: “A Colombo resident, on a +94 number” → “Tamil”
Sri Lanka rate; English template (en)
Billed at the Sri Lanka rate. English suits many business contacts and professionals in Colombo.
Path: “A Colombo resident, on a +94 number” → “English”
Question 1: Whose number is it? 3 options.
Colombo and India, from the High Commission
Figures from the High Commission of India in Colombo, which draws on the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and India's Department of Commerce.
India was Sri Lanka's largest tourism source market in 2025, with 531,511 arrivals, up 27.47% on 2024 and about 22.5% of all visitors; arrivals from India rose a further 22.6% in January–May 2026.[1]
IndiGo was the largest foreign carrier operating out of Sri Lanka in 2025 and began direct Delhi–Colombo flights in March 2026; SriLankan Airlines operates close to 90 weekly flights between the two countries.[1]
Merchandise trade was US$7.18 billion in FY 2025-26, with India's exports at US$5.52 billion and Sri Lanka's at US$1.66 billion.[2]
Cumulative Indian FDI reached US$2.94 billion through 2025. Recent Indian projects include the Colombo West International Terminal, the ITC Ratnadipa hotel and, in April 2026, Mazagon Dock's 51% stake in Colombo Dockyard.[2],[1]
UPI QR payments were launched in Sri Lanka in February 2024 through a partnership between NPCI International Payments (NIPL) and LankaPay.[1]
About 7,500 non-resident Indians work in professional fields in Sri Lanka.[2]
Who an Indian business writes to in Colombo
Four groups, each with a reason grounded in the High Commission's figures.
Port, shipping and shipyard services
Indian investment now includes a Colombo container terminal and a controlling stake in Colombo Dockyard.[1]
- Berth and arrival updates
- Crew-change coordination
- Repair milestone notices
Exporters and distributors
India's exports to Sri Lanka were US$5.52 billion in FY 2025-26; Colombo importers expect dispatch and payment updates.[2]
- Order and dispatch confirmation
- Payment due and received notices
- Price list requests answered by an agent
Banks and services for Indians in Colombo
About 7,500 Indian professionals live in Sri Lanka, and banks, insurers and developers in India write to them about accounts, policies and property.[2]
- KYC and document requests
- EMI and premium reminders
- Branch or video-call appointments
Sinhala, Tamil, English and Hindi
Sinhala and Tamil are Sri Lanka's official languages, English its link language. Hindi is for travellers from India who prefer it.
One Tamil template can serve both a Colombo resident and a traveller from Chennai; the rate still depends on whose number it is.
| Language | Meta code | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Sinhala | si_LK | Colombo residents who chose Sinhala at opt-in |
| Tamil | ta | Tamil-speaking residents, and travellers from Tamil Nadu |
| English | en | Business contacts, professionals and international guests |
| Hindi | hi | Travellers from north India |
Prices in ₹ and LKR
What a message to a Colombo number costs
Sri Lanka has its own line on Meta's rate card. To a +94 number: ₹0.1759 for a utility message, ₹6.44 for marketing and ₹0.1759 for a service reply, in rupees before GST; the table below lists authentication rates too.
Snapshot rates · as of 20 Oct 2026, 00:02 UTC
Lite
₹999 / month≈ Rs 3,491.13 LKR
₹833 / month, billed yearly≈ Rs 2,911.03 LKR
Growth
₹2,999 / month≈ Rs 10,480 LKR
₹2,499 / month, billed yearly≈ Rs 8,733.08 LKR
Enterprise
Custom volume pricing, custom SLA and dedicated infrastructure.
Per message to Colombo · Sri Lanka
| Category | ₹ INR | LKR |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | ₹6.4397 | Rs 22.50 |
| Utility | ₹0.1759 | Rs 0.615 |
| Authentication | ₹0.1759 | Rs 0.615 |
| Service | ₹0.1759 | Rs 0.615 |
Per-message rates for all 47 markets, in ₹ and LKR
| Market | Marketing | Utility | Authentication | Service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Rs 18.99₹5.4352 | Rs 7.99₹2.2874 | Rs 7.99₹2.2874 | Rs 7.99₹2.2874 |
| Bangladesh | Rs 22.50₹6.4397 | Rs 1.14₹0.3254 | Rs 1.14₹0.3254 | Rs 1.14₹0.3254 |
| Brazil | Rs 19.21₹5.4970 | Rs 2.09₹0.5981 | Rs 2.09₹0.5981 | Rs 2.09₹0.5981 |
| Chile | Rs 27.31₹7.8162 | Rs 6.15₹1.7585 | Rs 6.15₹1.7585 | Rs 6.15₹1.7585 |
| Colombia | Rs 3.84₹1.0993 | Rs 0.247₹0.0706 | Rs 0.247₹0.0706 | Rs 0.247₹0.0706 |
| Egypt | Rs 19.79₹5.6629 | Rs 1.11₹0.3167 | Rs 1.11₹0.3167 | Rs 1.11₹0.3167 |
| France | Rs 26.42₹7.5588 | Rs 9.22₹2.6393 | Rs 9.22₹2.6393 | Rs 9.22₹2.6393 |
| Germany | Rs 41.97₹12.0088 | Rs 16.91₹4.8386 | Rs 16.91₹4.8386 | Rs 16.91₹4.8386 |
| Hong Kong | Rs 22.50₹6.4397 | Rs 7.99₹2.2867 | Rs 7.99₹2.2867 | Rs 7.99₹2.2867 |
| Hungary | Rs 26.42₹7.5596 | Rs 10.73₹3.0700 | Rs 10.73₹3.0700 | Rs 10.73₹3.0700 |
| India | Rs 3.30₹0.9435 | Rs 0.678₹0.1941 | Rs 0.490₹0.1402 | Rs 0.507₹0.1450 |
| Indonesia | Rs 12.63₹3.6133 | Rs 7.68₹2.1979 | Rs 7.68₹2.1979 | Rs 7.68₹2.1979 |
| Iraq | Rs 10.48₹2.9992 | Rs 2.43₹0.6943 | Rs 2.43₹0.6943 | Rs 2.43₹0.6943 |
| Israel | Rs 10.85₹3.1045 | Rs 1.63₹0.4662 | Rs 1.63₹0.4662 | Rs 1.63₹0.4662 |
| Italy | Rs 24.41₹6.9847 | Rs 9.21₹2.6369 | Rs 9.21₹2.6369 | Rs 9.21₹2.6369 |
| Kazakhstan | Rs 18.56₹5.3098 | Rs 5.53₹1.5824 | Rs 5.53₹1.5824 | Rs 5.53₹1.5824 |
| Kuwait | Rs 24.35₹6.9671 | Rs 13.51₹3.8671 | Rs 13.51₹3.8671 | Rs 13.51₹3.8671 |
| Malaysia | Rs 26.43₹7.5644 | Rs 4.30₹1.2314 | Rs 4.30₹1.2314 | Rs 4.30₹1.2314 |
| Mexico | Rs 12.19₹3.4877 | Rs 2.61₹0.7471 | Rs 2.61₹0.7471 | Rs 2.61₹0.7471 |
| Morocco | Rs 12.73₹3.6425 | Rs 7.07₹2.0218 | Rs 7.07₹2.0218 | Rs 7.07₹2.0218 |
| Netherlands | Rs 49.10₹14.0494 | Rs 15.37₹4.3987 | Rs 15.37₹4.3987 | Rs 15.37₹4.3987 |
| Nepal | Rs 22.50₹6.4397 | Rs 1.04₹0.2990 | Rs 1.04₹0.2990 | Rs 1.04₹0.2990 |
| Nigeria | Rs 15.87₹4.5421 | Rs 2.06₹0.5898 | Rs 2.06₹0.5898 | Rs 2.06₹0.5898 |
| Oman | Rs 10.48₹2.9992 | Rs 7.59₹2.1709 | Rs 7.59₹2.1709 | Rs 7.59₹2.1709 |
| Pakistan | Rs 14.54₹4.1620 | Rs 4.61₹1.3200 | Rs 4.61₹1.3200 | Rs 4.61₹1.3200 |
| Peru | Rs 21.61₹6.1843 | Rs 9.22₹2.6392 | Rs 9.22₹2.6392 | Rs 9.22₹2.6392 |
| Poland | Rs 11.22₹3.2105 | Rs 3.74₹1.0702 | Rs 3.74₹1.0702 | Rs 3.74₹1.0702 |
| Qatar | Rs 10.48₹2.9992 | Rs 3.69₹1.0547 | Rs 3.69₹1.0547 | Rs 3.69₹1.0547 |
| Romania | Rs 26.42₹7.5596 | Rs 8.89₹2.5436 | Rs 8.89₹2.5436 | Rs 8.89₹2.5436 |
| Russia | Rs 24.64₹7.0520 | Rs 12.29₹3.5173 | Rs 12.29₹3.5173 | Rs 12.29₹3.5173 |
| Saudi Arabia | Rs 17.66₹5.0537 | Rs 3.29₹0.9401 | Rs 3.29₹0.9401 | Rs 3.29₹0.9401 |
| Singapore | Rs 22.50₹6.4397 | Rs 4.92₹1.4072 | Rs 4.92₹1.4072 | Rs 4.92₹1.4072 |
| South Africa | Rs 11.67₹3.3385 | Rs 2.92₹0.8369 | Rs 2.92₹0.8369 | Rs 2.92₹0.8369 |
| Spain | Rs 21.72₹6.2161 | Rs 6.14₹1.7578 | Rs 6.14₹1.7578 | Rs 6.14₹1.7578 |
| Sri Lanka | Rs 22.50₹6.4397 | Rs 0.615₹0.1759 | Rs 0.615₹0.1759 | Rs 0.615₹0.1759 |
| Turkey | Rs 3.35₹0.9587 | Rs 0.277₹0.0792 | Rs 0.277₹0.0792 | Rs 0.277₹0.0792 |
| Ukraine | Rs 26.42₹7.5596 | Rs 9.13₹2.6138 | Rs 9.13₹2.6138 | Rs 9.13₹2.6138 |
| United Arab Emirates | Rs 17.66₹5.0537 | Rs 4.83₹1.3811 | Rs 4.83₹1.3811 | Rs 4.83₹1.3811 |
| United Kingdom | Rs 19.50₹5.5795 | Rs 6.76₹1.9346 | Rs 6.76₹1.9346 | Rs 6.76₹1.9346 |
| North America | Rs 7.68₹2.1976 | Rs 1.04₹0.2989 | Rs 1.04₹0.2989 | Rs 1.04₹0.2989 |
| Rest of Africa | Rs 6.92₹1.9796 | Rs 1.23₹0.3516 | Rs 1.23₹0.3516 | Rs 1.23₹0.3516 |
| Rest of Asia Pacific | Rs 25.88₹7.4057 | Rs 3.47₹0.9938 | Rs 3.47₹0.9938 | Rs 3.47₹0.9938 |
| Rest of Central & Eastern Europe | Rs 26.42₹7.5596 | Rs 6.50₹1.8595 | Rs 6.50₹1.8595 | Rs 6.50₹1.8595 |
| Rest of Latin America | Rs 22.73₹6.5048 | Rs 3.47₹0.9934 | Rs 3.47₹0.9934 | Rs 3.47₹0.9934 |
| Rest of Middle East | Rs 12.05₹3.4490 | Rs 2.80₹0.7998 | Rs 2.80₹0.7998 | Rs 2.80₹0.7998 |
| Rest of Western Europe | Rs 18.19₹5.2054 | Rs 5.25₹1.5019 | Rs 5.25₹1.5019 | Rs 5.25₹1.5019 |
| Other | Rs 18.56₹5.3098 | Rs 2.37₹0.6769 | Rs 2.37₹0.6769 | Rs 2.37₹0.6769 |
Plan prices are monthly, in rupees, excluding GST; yearly billing is two months free. Messages are charged per delivered message on top of the plan, at the rate for the recipient’s country. Full details: InfiQ pricing. To a traveller's Indian +91 number, the India rates apply: ₹0.19 for utility and ₹0.94 for marketing. Sri Lankan rupee amounts in the converter are indicative; InfiQ invoices in Indian rupees with GST.
Work out your own monthly cost by message type.
Calculate your exact costOn InfiQ
What an Indian team uses on InfiQ for Colombo
- WhatsApp Coexistence
Keep using the WhatsApp Business app on the same number while the API runs alongside it, within Meta's coexistence limits.
A hotel or tour desk already chatting with guests on the WhatsApp Business app can keep the app on the same number while booking updates run through the API.
- Template manager and library
Draft, submit and track WhatsApp message templates for Meta's approval, starting from a library of 1,000+ ready templates in 27 categories.
Draft the English, Sinhala and Tamil versions of each booking template and track all three through Meta's approval.
- Shared team inbox
One WhatsApp number answered by a team: 10 users on Lite and 25 on Growth, agent and manager roles, transfers, private notes, labels and canned replies.
Guests' questions about a pick-up or a day trip reach whoever is on duty, in India or at a partner desk, with notes on the booking.
- Consent records and opt-out enforcement
Each contact's opt-in source and time are recorded, STOP replies are enforced at platform level (even against later imports), and the audit trail exports.
Every opt-in is stored with its source and time, ready for the PDPA duties that start in 2027.
Nearby
City pages near Colombo
Nearest city pages first, across the Palk Strait and beyond.
The nearest pages are in south India, across the Palk Strait; each looks at its own city's trades and buyers.
Guides for Colombo teams
Questions Colombo businesses ask
- Q1
IndiGo now flies Delhi to Colombo. Can our flight-and-hotel packages send itinerary changes on WhatsApp?
Yes, to travellers who opted in when they booked. Schedule changes, pick-up details and hotel confirmations are utility templates that your booking system can send through InfiQ's API. A traveller's reply opens a 24-hour window in which your team answers freely from the shared inbox.
- Q2
Guests at our Colombo hotel ask whether they can pay with UPI. Can our front desk answer that on WhatsApp?
Yes, as a service reply when they ask. UPI QR payments were launched in Sri Lanka in February 2024 through NPCI International Payments and LankaPay, at merchants that accept them. InfiQ does not take payments inside the chat; you can share your own payment link if you have one.
- Q3
Our shipping agency handles vessels calling at Colombo port. Can berth and crew-change updates go out on WhatsApp?
Yes, to masters, owners' representatives and crew agents who agreed to updates there. Berth times and crew-change arrangements are utility templates; questions back are service replies. Each message is billed by the recipient's country code, so a Greek owner's number and a Sri Lankan agent's number cost different amounts.
- Q4
Colombo keeps the same time as Chennai. Can we send promotions to Sri Lankan customers any time in our working day?
The clock makes it easy, but send promotions only to people who asked for them, and include a way to opt out. Sri Lanka's data protection law phases in from 1 January 2027, with its rules on promotional messages still awaiting a start date; the Sri Lanka guide tracks both.
- Q5
Customers in Colombo often mix Sinhala and English in one chat. Does a template have to pick one language?
Yes. Meta approves each template in one language, so submit separate Sinhala (si_LK) and English (en) versions and send each customer the one they chose. Your agents' replies inside the 24-hour window need no template and can follow the customer's own mix.
- Q6
What does a booking confirmation for a hotel on Colombo's Galle Road cost when the guest has a +94 number?
A booking confirmation is a utility template: ₹0.1759 per delivered message to a Sri Lankan number, before GST. To a traveller's Indian number it is ₹0.19. A marketing message to a +94 number costs ₹6.44. Plans start at ₹999 a month.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on the dates shown. Page updated 2026-10-20.
- [1]India–Sri Lanka Economic and Trade Engagement · High Commission of India, Colombo · read 2026-10-20
- [2]India–Sri Lanka Bilateral Relations · High Commission of India, Colombo · read 2026-10-20
- [3]asia: Asia/Colombo (UTC+5:30) · IANA Time Zone Database · read 2026-10-20
- [4]Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform · Meta for Developers · read 2026-10-20
Send your Colombo bookings and updates on the official API
Start a 7-day Lite trial, no card needed, and submit English, Sinhala and Tamil templates once Meta business verification is complete. If your business is based in Colombo, talk to sales about whether InfiQ fits.
