Travel agents and hoteliers are expecting a boom in tourist arrivals to the country over the next few months with the expansion and upgrading of facilities at ports and airports, thus providing a boost to the tourism industry.
Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation, Nimal Siripala de Silva met with Port, Airport, Sri Lanka Customs and Department of Immigration and Emigration officials to discuss these issues at the Ministry on Monday.
The Minister also made a special inspection visit to the Port of Colombo.
Commercial ports in Sri Lanka expect an increase in the number of passenger vessels berthing in the island after two and half years. During the next two months, eight passenger vessels and up to April 2023, 10 more passenger vessels are expected to call at the Trincomalee and Colombo Ports.
At the discussions the Minister emphasized that a vessel carrying 2,800 passengers and 500 crew members from India and a vessel carrying 3,500 passengers and crew from Oman are expected on the island this month.
The Minister instructed officials that an additional number of counters for Sri Lanka Customs and Immigration and Emigration services, extension of service provisions at Duty Free Shopping Complexes and improved sanitary and health facilities should be established to cater for the increasing influx of foreign tourists and travellers arriving at the ports and airports islandwide.
He said that five airlines from Europe have already expressed willingness to commence passenger services to Sri Lanka. “Aeroflot, Air France and Azur Air will maintain services twice a week to Colombo,” he said. He also said that a special process has already been implemented by the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited to supply aircraft fuel to airlines calling at Sri Lanka airports while opening an additional number of counters and Duty Free Shopping facilities extended to visitors at the airport.
Secretary to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Aviation K.D.S. Ruwanchandra, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman Keith D. Bernard, Director General of the Department of Immigration and Emigration H. Ilukpitiya and several other officials also attended the discussions and participated on the inspection visit.
