All international airlines agree to resume flights to SL: Minister

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya 

Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said yesterday all international airlines that operated in Sri Lanka before the Covid-19 pandemic have agreed to resume its operations and that 15 commercial flights operated yesterday alone after airports were officially opened.

"Before the Covid-19 pandemic, about 35 international airlines operated flights to our country. All these airlines have agreed to resume commercial flights with us. Earlier, we operated about 80 flights a day at the Katunayake Airport. It will take some time to reach to that level. But we expect it to happen gradually. Also tourist arrivals are expected to be normal within a period of six or seven months," he said.

He said the government's goal is to develop the tourism industry even more than it did before the outbreak of the Covid-19.

Addressing after the officially opening of the country to tourists, Minister Ranatunga said that reopening the country to tourists is a challenge.