Sri Lanka’s two international airports, Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake and the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), Mattala, will be partly opened from December 29 to January 16 to accommodate Russian tourists.
Former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga told the Sunday Observer that the pilot project approved by the Cabinet aimed at bringing around 6,000 holidaymakers from Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine adhering to health guidelines in Sri Lanka.
Hotels with beach frontage in Beruwela, Bentota, Ahungalle and Kalutara have been selected for the Russian tourists who arrive in the hotels from the airport after a compulsory second PCR test (first in Russia before 72 hours) prior to check in.
The beach and roads leading to the hotels will be isolated to ensure that no Sri Lankans would come in contact with the tourists and hotel staff who will stay in hotels for 21 days.
“These places will be sanitised after the tourists leave ensuring there is no contamination. From December to February is the peak season for out-bound tourism in Russia. The country will earn around USD 10 million from the project,” Weeratunga said.