By Tina Edward Gunawardhana 

Sri Lanka is positioning itself as a destination not just for sun-seekers and cultural explorers, but also for literary enthusiasts, with the Ceylon Literary and Arts Festival (CLAF) taking its stories and creative voices to an international audience.

The festival was introduced to the global travel trade at a special event hosted by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and Cinnamon Life at the World Travel Market (WTM) at ExCeL London on 4 November 2026.

Addressing the gathering, CLAF founder Ajai Vir Singh highlighted the festival as an exciting addition to Sri Lanka’s tourism landscape, offering literary aficionados another compelling reason to visit the island. Founded by Ajai Vir Singh and Fazeena Rajabdeen, who serves as Co-founder and Director, CLAF has grown into an influential platform celebrating literature, art, music and film, while showcasing Sri Lanka's creative talent and strengthening its cultural identity on the international stage.

The afternoon took the form of three engaging literary conversations, moderated by celebrated Sri Lankan author Ashok Ferrey. The opening session, titled Sri Lanka through the Eyes of Others, brought together authors Razeen Sally and Booker Prize-shortlisted novelist Romesh Gunasekera, who reflected on their literary journeys and perspectives on Sri Lanka.

This was followed by a conversation with acclaimed British author Louise Doughty, who discussed her latest book and explored the art of writing memoirs. The final session featured historian and author Shrabani Basu, who shared insights into her literary journey and the fascinating story behind her acclaimed book Victoria & Abdul, which was adapted into a film starring Judi Dench.

The event offered international travel professionals a glimpse into the island’s growing creative and cultural offering, while introducing the London audience to the wider vision of CLAF.

The session concluded with a lucky draw, with three attendees winning complimentary stays at Cinnamon Life. The prizes were presented by Kamal Munasinghe, General Manager, Cinnamon Life, City of Dreams and Senior Vice President – Colombo Hotels at Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts.

The London showcase marked an important milestone in the festival's international expansion, setting the stage for its fourth edition in Colombo from 22 to 24 January 2027, bringing together writers, artists, musicians and filmmakers from Sri Lanka and around the world.