The High Commission of Sri Lanka in the Maldives, working with the Export Development Board, took ten Sri Lankan small and medium-sized lifestyle and giftware manufacturers to Food and Hospitality Asia Maldives 2026, the Colombo Gazette reported.
The exhibition ran at the Manhattan Grand Hotel, Hulhumalé, from 7 to 9 September 2026.
Maldivian State Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Dr. Abdulla Niyaz was chief guest at the inauguration on 7 September and opened the Sri Lanka pavilion together with High Commissioner Mohamed Rizvi Hassen.
The exhibitors
The ten participating companies were Bubbles and Beyond (Pvt) Ltd, Rathna Batik, NDS Holdings, Eco di Barbara, Candle House Ceylon (Pvt) Ltd, Maximus (Pvt) Ltd, Sinharaja Herbs (Pvt) Ltd, Concept Developer (Pvt) Ltd, Kubera Lanmiy Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd and Agroventures Exports (Pvt) Ltd.
Between them they showed spa products, candles, batik, leather goods, recycled paper products, wooden products and non-woven bags — categories aimed squarely at the Maldivian resort supply chain, where imported guest amenities and room furnishings are a standing procurement line.
The High Commission arranged B2B meetings for the exhibitors with prospective buyers. Maldivian government and private-sector representatives and heads of industry associations visited the pavilion across the three days, and the companies met the Executive Board of the Business Chamber of Maldives for guidance on entering the market.
Why the Maldives
The Maldives is one of the closest and most accessible export markets for Sri Lankan SMEs, and its resort sector imports nearly all of its consumables and furnishings. Giftware and lifestyle products are a category where Sri Lankan manufacturers compete on craft and short shipping times rather than on scale.
Not reported
The Colombo Gazette gives no figures for orders placed, business leads generated or the export value the participation is expected to produce. It does not say how many B2B meetings were held, what the pavilion cost or who funded it, or whether the EDB plans to return in 2027. The report is drawn from an official announcement published eight days after the exhibition closed, and carries no comment from any of the ten participating companies.
