European Business Traveler Praises Sri Lanka Customs and Colombo

A Europe-based business traveler has shared her first-hand experience with Sri Lanka Customs, highlighting several positives about the service she received.

“Sri Lankan Customs was not quite what I expected,” says Tina K, who works for a Europe-based private-label gloves and knitwear producer.

“Before coming to Sri Lanka, I probably had the same assumptions many Europeans would have about dealing with customs here,” she wrote in a LinkedIn post.

But for her, the reality was a pleasant surprise.

A Modern, Professional Experience

Describing her visit, Tina wrote: “A modern, well-organized environment. Women in many of the leading positions. Professional staff speaking very good English.”

She also found communication at Customs to be far more direct than she had anticipated.

At one point, she even managed to secure a personal meeting with the head of the department.

“Try walking into a customs office somewhere in Europe and getting a meeting with the head of the department,” she recalled, adding a smiley face to the post.

Progress, With a Dose of Diplomacy

Tina was careful to note that her issue isn’t fully resolved yet, so she isn’t celebrating too soon.

She said the process had been moving rather slowly, and during discussions she mentioned — diplomatically — that in Europe these kinds of matters usually move faster.

Since then, things have started moving noticeably faster.

A Lesson in Working Internationally

“Another reminder from this trip: when you work internationally, assumptions are rarely useful,”

Tina says. “You have to come, see, talk to people — and sometimes find the right words at the right moment.“

Tina works on private-label glove and knitwear projects at MIRO GLOVES, helping customers turn their ideas and specifications into finished products.

Her role spans product development and sampling through to materials sourcing, packaging, production coordination, and final delivery.