Alcohol Industry Interference in Public Health
August 2, 2026Overview:
Hotel Show Colombo 2026 (18th edition), organized by the Sri Lanka Hospitality Graduates Association in collaboration with CDC Events and public/private stakeholders, took place from 24th to 26th July 2026 at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre (BMICH), Colombo. This event can be recognized as Sri Lanka’s premier hospitality trade fair, and it gathered international and local suppliers to display a variety of hotel equipment, culinary arts, interior solutions, and technology, with key attendees including tourism officials and hospitality delegates.
Watchdogs from the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC) noticed that during the event setup of Hotel Show Colombo 2026, the Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC (DCSL) one of the country’s largest public alcohol manufacturing and distribution corporations was operating an exhibition and bar stall.
Under Sri Lankan law, alcohol manufacturers cannot display, promote, brand, or market alcoholic beverages or set up promotional bar stalls at public trade shows and exhibitions. Under Section 27 of the NATA Act, the Authority may acquire immovable property for its official purposes under the Land Acquisition Act (Chapter 420) upon Ministerial approval in the Gazette, with all acquisition costs paid directly from the Authority’s Fund.
Despite clear legal boundaries established under Sri Lanka’s public health legislation, photos published on the entity’s official Facebook page reveal a lavish celebration held in the midst of the event’s Bar Championship competition. Although the ADIC team attended the show to monitor compliance, photography inside the stalls was prohibited. Ironically as it is, the organizers and company unhesitatingly uploaded photos of the extravagant event to Facebook themselves for public view.
Actions taken:
This matter was brought to the surface by the Alcohol and Drug Information Center, and we sent a formal letter in accordance with the events of the violation to the National Authority on Tobacco Alcohol (NATA). On 24 July 2026, Dr. Ananda Rathnayaka, Chairman of NATA, dispatched an urgent, formal warning letter to the Head of Marketing and Events at BMICH. This letter was followed by some key demands.
The letter explicitly demanded an immediate review of any illegal participation by DCSL and other alcohol industry entities. It outlined detailed legal interventions to ensure that no exhibition stall, brand logo, advertisement, or product demonstration violating the NATA Act was permitted within BMICH premises. Furthermore, the letter serves as a direct reminder to the management that aiding, abetting, or permitting illegal activities on their premises exposes venue managers and corporate officers to severe legal liability, formal investigations, and potential prosecution.
Outcome:
Regarding the current status and results of these actions, no formal response or official communication has been received from the management or relevant parties to date. However, we are closely monitoring the status of the violations.
