6 September 2021 08:38 am Views - 125
By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya
Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said Sri Lanka has launched tourism promotion initiatives with Russia and Ukraine under the Government's programme to uplift the tourism industry.
The minister said that Russia and Ukraine are among the top 10 countries with the highest number of tourist arrivals in recent times.
During the pandemic, Sri Lanka implemented a project with Ukraine and Kazakhstan to bring tourists to Sri Lanka. Accordingly, 24, 320 tourists had arrived in the country in the recent past. Of those, 250 tourists have been contracted with COVID-19. About 150 of those who have been infected with the virus have returned to their country after recovering completely. Another 100 tourists are still receiving treatment in the country, the Ministry said.
Meanwhile, direct flights between Sri Lanka and Russia will commence from November 4, the Ministry said.
The decision was taken during a meeting between officials of Russian Aeroflot Airlines and the Sri Lanka Civil Aviation authority at Aeroflot Airlines headquarters in Moscow, Russia.