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A segment of the 185 tourists from Ukraine watch a cultural performance after landing at the Mattala airport yesterday
By Charumini de Silva
Sri Lanka yesterday welcomed 185 passengers from Ukraine’s charter operator SkyUp – the first set of international tourists to arrive in the country since COVID-19 restrictions were imposed in March.
The inaugural flight from Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, touched down at Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) yesterday at 2:08 p.m. bearing holidaymakers, including 20 children, under the breakthrough pilot project championed by Sri Lanka’s former Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga, and fully backed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Presidential Task Force for Economic Revival and Poverty Eradication Chairman Basil Rajapaksa and Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga.
Sri Lanka had not allowed global leisure travellers since the closure of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in late March as part of measures to contain COVID-19.
Tourism Minister Ranatunga, Aviation State Minister D.V. Chanaka, Airport and Aviation Services (Lanka) Ltd. (AASL) Chairman Major General (Retd.) G.A. Chandrasiri, and other officials, welcomed the Ukrainian tour group at the airport premises followed by a special cultural act and treat organised by AASL and the Sri Lanka Tea Board.
“We hope to assess and identify the shortcomings of the pilot project, rectify them and adopt healthier methods to bring in tourists, and thereby open borders formally for all international travellers. The decision of the Government to formally resume tourism will be notified in the latter part of January,” the Tourism Minister told journalists yesterday.
Ranatunga added that this type of charter and special flights will operate till 19 January 2021.
“All tourists are required to follow Government health regulations and travel to locations identified under a Bio Bubble,” Ranatunga said, calling on the general public not to unnecessarily panic over the pilot project, as tourism activities will be carried out in a manner without mixing with the general public.
Industry sources said that Ukrainian tourists who arrived yesterday underwent a PCR test at their respective hotels at seaside tourist hotels in Bentota, Beruwala and Koggala.
“The national flag carrier, Ukraine International Airlines (UIA), is scheduled to arrive at MRIA today at noon. However, the final number of passengers has not been confirmed yet,” AASL Deputy Chairman Rajeeva Sooriyaarachchi told the Daily FT.
Sooriyaarachchi also said that Russia’s national carrier Aeroflot will commence operations to BIA, but a date has not been decided yet.
Weeratunga had wooed tourists from Russia but its national carrier Aeroflot cited lack of clarity, awareness and assurances on the reopening of borders and COVID-19 health guidelines. Aeroflot had wanted official communication from the Sri Lankan Government to the Russian Government.
Aeroflot had originally received clearance to fly to Sri Lanka with tourists from the Civil Aviation of Sri Lanka on 14 December. Aeroflot has given assurances that once communicated formally and widely publicised among tour operators in Russia, the carrier will commence flights to Sri Lanka within three weeks.
The tourism industry welcoming the move to resume tourism, said that the pilot project will also test the country’s health guidelines, revamped hotel quarantine system, as well as all stakeholders engaged in the sector.
No tourist arrivals have been recorded for the eight consecutive months ending October. Total tourist arrivals remain at 507,311 which is a decline of 69.7% during the 11 months ending November, compared to 1.7 million arrivals recorded during the corresponding period in 2019, as per the latest data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).
Accordingly, Central Bank data showed cumulative earnings from tourism, which are estimated based on tourist arrivals, remained at $ 956 million during the year up to October, thus recording a drop of 66.1% from the corresponding period in 2019.
