Port City Colombo announced that China Duty Free (CDF) and One World Duty Free (ODF) have been granted status as Businesses of Strategic Importance (BSI) by the Cabinet, according to an official Cabinet media statement released on 10th July 2024. This approval paves the way for the commencement of travel retail operations at the upcoming Downtown Duty-Free Mall.
Discussing the significance of this milestone, Mr. Xiong Hongfeng, Managing Director, CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd said, “We are pleased to announce that our duty-free partners, China Duty Free and One World Duty Free, have successfully obtained BSI status and received approval from the Cabinet. Our partners are now empowered to operate within the Colombo Port City Special Economic Zone, allowing for the eagerly anticipated opening of the Downtown Duty-Free Mall to go ahead before the close of Q3 2024. We look forward to this, and to many other important developments in due course, with many prospective global investors ready to invest in Sri Lanka through Port City Colombo.”
