Do Sri Lankan operators charge planning fees or take commissions?

Sri Lankan travel operators do not generally ask you to pay up-front planning fees; instead, they make their revenue via private B2B commission rates they negotiate straight with hotels and activity providers. With that approach, they can propose a full package for a rate close to, or sometimes less than, what you would pay if you booked everything on your own online.

Since the agency earns a margin from the suppliers, not from the traveller, you get the advantage of their schedule crafting and 24/7 assistance, almost like it is free. Yet, if you ask for a very granular, customised itinerary and then you cancel before anything is actually booked, you end up using up their time and effort, but no income is created.