Saturday Jan 24, 2026
Saturday Jan 24, 2026
Saturday, 24 January 2026 06:05 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
From left: Serendib Multisport Ltd., Partner Rajan Thananayagam, 2018/2019 Ironman 70.3 Colombo Champion Olivier Godart, CHEC Port City Colombo Deputy Managing Director Thulci Aluwihare and Serendib Multisport Partner Yasas Hewage
Sri Lanka is set to strengthen its presence on the global sports tourism map with the hosting of IRONMAN 70.3 Colombo on 22 February 2026, marking a six-year hiatus since the last event.
This international franchise endurance event is being organised by Serendib Multisport Ltd., in partnership with Port City Colombo and Shangri-La Colombo. The event represents a strategic effort to position Colombo as an active lifestyle hub and Sri Lanka as a credible destination for high-value international sporting events, aligning elite sport with urban infrastructure, Sri Lankan hospitality, and destination branding.
Globally, sports tourism continues to be one of the fastest-growing segments of the travel economy, valued at $1.5 trillion, with international franchise endurance events such as IRONMAN attracting a distinct demographic of high-spending consumers and potential investors. Participants typically travel with support teams and families. Fifty per cent stay for over a week, spending twice the usual average tourism spend per day. The 2019 event resulted in a $ 2 million economic impact over one week and demonstrated higher discretionary spending across accommodation, dining, retail, wellness, and local services. In this context, IRONMAN 70.3 Colombo is expected to generate meaningful economic spillover benefits while elevating Sri Lanka’s visibility among premium global travel and sporting audiences.
The event program commences on 19 February 2026, with the KAYA Wellness & Active Lifestyle International Expo and athlete check-in at Shangri-La Colombo, followed by the IRONKIDS event on Saturday, 21 February 2026, along with official race-related activities that enhance visitor engagement. Athletes are expected to begin arriving in Sri Lanka from 15 February 2026, leading to extended stays and higher visitor expenditure.
In addition to registered competitors, the event is likely to attract a significant number of accompanying supporters and family members, further boosting tourism demand. Many athletes will extend their stay for post-race holidays with their families and friends, as more than two-thirds of the visitors are on their first visit to Sri Lanka. These factors are expected to directly increase foreign currency expenditure across the hospitality, transportation, retail, and services sectors.
Port City Colombo is the venue partner, while Shangri-La Colombo has come on board as the host city for the third consecutive time, demonstrating strong confidence in the value of IRONMAN 70.3 Colombo as a city-branding and sports tourism platform. Walkers Tours, together with Shangri-La Colombo, has partnered with a wide network of city hotels to ensure that the benefits of Event Week are distributed broadly across the hospitality sector.
Beyond Colombo, participant and supporter travel is expected to extend to all four corners of the country, generating widespread economic activity and delivering tangible benefits to both large-scale operators and SMEs within Sri Lanka’s tourism and hospitality industry.
Shangri La Colombo Director of Sales and Marketing Tarek Medhat
The global stature of the IRONMAN brand attracts international athletes, generates media attention, and extends the brand’s worldwide digital reach, positioning Colombo beyond its traditional leisure tourism appeal. The racecourse, encompassing swimming, cycling, and running segments, is designed to showcase Colombo’s coastal landscape and modern infrastructure, reinforcing the city’s capability to host complex, logistically demanding events that meet international standards.
A key pillar of the event’s positioning lies in its strategic partnerships with Port City Colombo and Shangri-La Colombo. Port City Colombo, envisioned as Sri Lanka’s gateway to the world, stands as a future-focused business and lifestyle hub that mirrors the IRONMAN ethos, connecting Colombo to a global stage through resilience, excellence, and international reach. Its association underscores Sri Lanka’s commitment to internationally benchmarked infrastructure capable of supporting world-class events. Complementing this, Shangri-La Colombo continues its strategic partnership with IRONMAN 70.3 Colombo, delivering premium hospitality standards, ensuring a seamless experience for athletes, officials, sponsors, and international visitors, and helping Sri Lanka compete credibly with established IRONMAN destinations across the region. Shangri-La will house the officials, organising teams, and serve as the venue for athlete registration and related activities.
The event’s reach and long-term impact are further strengthened through its official digital and print media partnership, Wijeya Newspapers (Pvt) Limited, whose role is central to amplifying visibility across domestic and international platforms. Sustained media exposure supports not only the event’s commercial objectives but also Sri Lanka’s broader destination branding and investment narrative.
Beyond immediate economic impact, IRONMAN 70.3 Colombo serves as a replicable model for hosting international franchise sporting events through effective public-private collaboration. It shows how global sports brands, experienced local organisers, premium urban developments, hospitality leaders, and media partners can work together to generate both economic value and long-term destination appeal. As Sri Lanka continues to diversify its tourism offerings and strengthen its economic recovery story, initiatives like IRONMAN 70.3 Colombo highlight how sport can act as a strategic economic driver.
Scheduled for 22 February 2026, the event marks an important milestone in positioning Sri Lanka prominently within the global sports tourism and sports business arenas.
IRONMAN 70.3 Colombo is presented by Serendib, with Port City Colombo as the Presenting Partner, Shangri-La as the Hospitality Partner, Walker’s Tours as the Official Travel Partner, Carnage as the Official Apparel Partner, Asiri Health as the Official Medical Partner, Hatch as the Official Workspace Partner, Wijeya Newspapers as the Official Print & Digital Media Partner, Capital Maharaja Group as the Official Electronic Media Partner, Unveid as the Official Hydration and Nutrition Partner, and Spinner Cycling as the Official Mechanical Partner.
