The Qatari airline will now fly between Doha and Colombo five times per day.
Qatar Airways has returned its Sri Lanka service to pre-pandemic levels after upping its schedule to the country. On February 24th, the airline added a fifth daily flight from Doha to Colombo to meet higher travel demand.
Qatar Airways adds fifth daily flight to Sri Lanka
Qatar Airways is back to its pre-pandemic capacity in Sri Lanka after increasing flights between Doha and Colombo. The Qatari flag carrier has added over 1,000 seats to its weekly schedule with an additional daily flight from February 24th.
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said,
“This is a significant milestone and another testament to the airline’s efforts in leading the industry’s recovery from the pandemic. The additional frequency heralds the start of renewed optimism in travel and tourism to the island, and cements the close ties between our countries.”
The airline now flies to Sri Lanka five times a day and is the only carrier operating continued, uninterrupted flights between Hamad International Airport (HIA) and Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB).
From HIA, Sri Lankan passengers can connect to a network of over 140 destinations worldwide. The airline now carries over 1,400 passengers into Sri Lanka each day as travel demand increases.
Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Kimarli Fernando said,
“We truly appreciate the support extended by Qatar Airways to revive the tourism industry in Sri Lanka. Qatar Airways is now back to its pre-COVID frequency. Their current arrivals surpass over 1,400 on a daily basis with around 50% of its being tourists.”
Sri Lanka tourism hit by Ukraine conflict
Sri Lanka has been a popular tourism destination for Russians and Ukrainians over the years. However, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has led to a slew of cancellations, with many tourists already in the country seeking to extend their stays.
President of the Hotel Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) M Shanthikumar said,
“Ukraine and Russia conflict will be a big disaster as people will not travel, and Sri Lanka’s tourist market is largely European. There is no rush for Ukrainians to go back, as they feel much safer here.”
The country’s tourism industry has seen a much-needed revival in the last couple of months. After an excellent start to 2022, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority upped its tourism estimates for January by 142%.
Extended visas for Ukrainians
On Sunday, Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said that Sri Lanka will consider extending the visas of approximately 4,000 Ukrainian tourists still in the country. Airspace closures have led to a complicated situation for tourists stranded abroad.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority reports that 9,883 Ukrainians visited Sri Lanka from January 1st to February 10th this year – around 8.7% of total visitors. Russians are the most popular nationality to visit the country, with 18,044 visitors (15.8% of total visitors) over the same period.
Have you flown with Qatar Airways between Colombo and Doha? Let us know your experience in the comments.
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