Expolanka Leisure Cluster Wins Seven Awards at the National ICT Awards NBQSA 2026
Expolanka Leisure Cluster representatives at the National ICT Awards NBQSA 2026. Photograph: Adaderana Biz English.
The Expolanka Leisure Cluster has secured seven awards at the National ICT Awards – NBQSA 2026, recording two Gold Awards, one Silver Award, two Bronze Awards and two Merit Awards in recognition of its continuing investment in technology, innovation and digital solutions across its travel and visa businesses.
The achievement places particular emphasis on the development of locally created technology that responds to practical requirements within the travel and tourism sector, where customers increasingly expect accurate information, efficient transactions, accessible digital services and more consistent support across each stage of their journey.
Classic Travel accounted for six of the awards through its solutions Travel Insight, Competitor IQ, Classic Direct and SocialHive. These initiatives were recognised across categories including In-House Innovation, Tourism & Hospitality, Marketing Solutions and Digital Marketing / Advertising.
Expo Visa Services also contributed to the cluster’s result, with EZ Visa by EVS receiving a Merit Award under the Consumer – Tourism & Hospitality category.
Recognition across travel intelligence, marketing and visa services
The seven awards recognise a diverse range of solutions developed to address different parts of the travel and visa experience. Rather than representing a single digital product or isolated technology project, the achievement reflects a broader approach in which technology is being applied to travel intelligence, competitor analysis, business-to-business services, marketing operations and visa processing.
Travel Insight and Competitor IQ represent the analytical side of this approach, supporting the use of information and market intelligence in a sector where travel patterns, customer expectations and commercial conditions can change rapidly. Classic Direct reflects the importance of business-to-business platforms in connecting travel services with professional users, while SocialHive demonstrates the growing role of marketing technology in communicating with customers across digital channels.
EZ Visa by EVS extends this digital focus into visa services, an area in which clear information, structured processes and accessible communication can be particularly important for applicants. For travellers, students, families, professionals and Sri Lankans living abroad who are planning journeys, digital tools that make information easier to access and processes simpler to follow can contribute to a more transparent and convenient experience.
The source announcement stated that the recognised initiatives reflect Expolanka Leisure Cluster’s broader effort to use technology to strengthen both customer-facing services and internal capabilities. This distinction is significant because effective digital transformation is not limited to visible applications; it also includes the internal systems, data practices and operational processes that allow businesses to deliver services more efficiently.
A technology approach focused on practical outcomes
Speaking on the role of technology in the cluster’s development, Ashani Jayawikrama, Manager – IT at Expolanka Leisure Cluster, said:
> ‘Technology continues to evolve at an extraordinary pace, and with it, customer expectations and the way businesses operate are constantly changing. This makes continuous innovation essential. Our focus is not simply on introducing new technology, but on understanding where it can genuinely improve a process, strengthen our service standards and create a better experience for our customers. These awards are encouraging recognition of that journey, while also motivating us to continue exploring how technology can make our services smarter, simpler and more effective.’
The statement places the awards within a practical rather than purely promotional context. The central consideration is not the adoption of technology for its own sake, but whether a digital solution can improve a process, enhance service standards or provide a more effective experience for customers and staff.
For travel companies, that principle has particular relevance. Travel management involves a substantial flow of information, including schedules, destinations, pricing, customer preferences, documentation and regulatory requirements. Visa services also require accuracy and careful communication, since applicants may need to provide personal information and supporting documents according to specific procedures.
A well-designed digital platform can help organise these activities, while data-driven tools can assist businesses in identifying patterns and responding to changing requirements. The value of such technology, however, depends on the quality of the information, the reliability of the system and the way in which it is integrated into professional service delivery.
AI-generated illustration based on the source image. The image is provided for visual context and does not depict the actual National ICT Awards ceremony.
The standing of the National ICT Awards – NBQSA
The National ICT Awards – NBQSA is one of Sri Lanka’s established platforms for recognising information and communications technology products, services and innovation. It provides organisations with an opportunity to benchmark locally developed technology solutions against industry standards, while also creating a formal setting in which Sri Lankan innovation can receive wider professional recognition.
The competition is conducted by the Sri Lankan section of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, and has been held in Sri Lanka since 1998. According to the official NBQSA website, the awards are intended to showcase and benchmark Sri Lankan ICT products in an increasingly competitive international environment.
This institutional standing gives the Expolanka Leisure Cluster’s seven awards significance beyond the individual trophies. Recognition through an established industry platform indicates that the solutions have been presented within a structured awards environment focused on innovation, quality and relevance to the ICT sector.
The official NBQSA platform also identifies the competition as a means of helping local technology products and organisations gain recognition, improve marketability and compete in a wider global setting. This is particularly relevant to Sri Lankan companies seeking to demonstrate that homegrown products can address complex operational requirements in industries such as travel, tourism, hospitality and visa services.
Opportunities for Sri Lankan businesses and travellers
The achievement highlights the expanding potential for Sri Lankan companies to develop technology specifically for local business conditions while remaining relevant to international users. In the travel sector, locally developed platforms may be better positioned to understand the operational realities of Sri Lankan businesses, the requirements of regional travel markets and the needs of customers who maintain connections with the country from overseas.
For Sri Lankans living in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, the United States and other countries, the quality of digital travel services can influence how easily trips home are planned and managed. Accessible travel intelligence, responsive booking platforms, clearer visa services and more effective digital communication can reduce uncertainty during a process that often involves several providers and multiple forms of documentation.
These benefits should not be overstated, since the effectiveness of any platform depends on implementation, service support and the accuracy of information provided. Nevertheless, the development of specialised digital tools by Sri Lankan companies represents an important step towards a more capable and competitive travel industry.
The achievement also demonstrates that innovation in Sri Lanka is not confined to technology companies traditionally identified with software development. Businesses operating in travel, tourism and visa services are increasingly using technology to improve their products, strengthen internal operations and create new forms of value for customers.
Continued investment in innovation
The Expolanka Leisure Cluster’s seven awards therefore provide a positive indication of the role that technology can play within Sri Lanka’s travel and tourism economy. Classic Travel’s six recognised solutions and EZ Visa by EVS demonstrate how different parts of a connected business group can apply digital capabilities to distinct operational and customer requirements.
The recognition also reflects the contribution of teams working across information technology, travel management, marketing, customer service and business operations. Their combined work illustrates how innovation is often produced through cooperation between technical specialists and professionals who understand the practical demands of a particular industry.
As customer expectations continue to change, the need for secure, accessible and intelligently designed travel services is likely to remain a central consideration for the sector. The Expolanka Leisure Cluster’s achievement at NBQSA 2026 shows how Sri Lankan organisations are responding to that requirement by developing homegrown tools that support both business performance and customer experience.
For the country’s travel industry, the broader opportunity lies in continuing this process: identifying genuine service challenges, developing suitable technology and measuring success through practical improvements rather than novelty alone.
Source: https://bizenglish.adaderana.lk/seven-big-wins-for-expolanka-leisure-cluster-at-national-ict-awards-2026/
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