Commercial flights to get green light

Commercial flights will be given the green light to operate to Sri Lanka soon, a Tourism Advisory Committee said yesterday.

Committee Chairman Hiran Cooray said that commercial flights will most likely be given clearance to operate to Sri Lanka from later this month.

He said that as of the end of October, 152 countries were open for tourism while Sri Lanka was closed.

Cooray said that Sri Lanka remained closed despite managing the spread of the coronavirus very well.

The Tourism Advisory Committee was appointed last month to draft guidelines to reopen Sri Lanka’s borders for foreign tourists.

The joint committee consists of officials representing the tourism sector and the health sector.

Cooray said that the committee had proposed to the Tourism Ministry to open the borders while enforcing strict health guidelines.

Accordingly, the Government sought proposals from the committee on opening of the borders. (EASWARN RUTNAM)