Enter Air, the largest private airline operating in Poland, has officially commenced flight services connecting Warsaw to Colombo, Sri Lanka. This new route, which began operations on October 30, will run regularly until the end of March 2025, significantly enhancing travel and tourism links between the two countries. The inaugural flight received a warm welcome
Sri Lanka’s economy is on the path to recovery, with the World Bank projecting a growth rate of 4.4% for 2024, surpassing previous estimates. This forecast follows four consecutive quarters of growth, largely driven by the industrial and tourism sectors, alongside crucial structural and policy reforms. David Sislen, the World Bank’s Regional Country Director for
Cinnamon Air has announced the introduction of two daily scheduled flights connecting Kandy and Sigiriya with the South Coast destinations of Koggala and Hambantota, starting from November 1, 2024, until April 30, 2025. These flights aim to cater to the influx of foreign travelers seeking both cultural immersion and coastal relaxation. Designed for speed and
The Sri Lanka-Canada Business Council (SLCBC) held a crucial briefing with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on October 10, 2024, in Colombo, as part of their preparations for an upcoming mission to Canada. During the session, the SLCBC delegation outlined their key goals to strengthen trade, investment, and economic ties between Sri Lanka and Canada.
The newly appointed Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), Buddika Hewawasam, convened a meeting with tourism associations at the SLITHM Auditorium yesterday, emphasizing the government’s commitment to developing the tourism sector and outlining several meaningful initiatives to achieve this goal. Hewawasam announced plans to establish
Sri Lanka welcomed a remarkable 25,966 tourists from October 1 to 6, 2024, indicating a strong trajectory for monthly arrivals heading towards a record high. The total number of arrivals for 2024 has now reached 1,510,774, surpassing the previous year’s total of 1,487,303. In a notable trend, Chinese tourists have moved to the second position
Sri Lanka’s tourism sector has achieved a significant milestone, with total tourist arrivals surpassing the entire number recorded in 2023 by October 1, 2024. The country welcomed 1,480,678 visitors from September 1 to 29, 2024, maintaining a daily average of approximately 4,000 arrivals. This brings the cumulative total for the year to exceed last year’s
The launch of a free-visa system for nationals from 35 countries, originally scheduled for October 1, has been postponed, as announced by Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Vijitha Herath. The delay is attributed to the necessity of obtaining Parliamentary approval, which is complicated by the current dismissal of Parliament. During the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing,
In 2023, total employment in Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, including indirect jobs, grew by 11.24% year-on-year (YoY), reaching 429,641 employees, according to provisional data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). Direct employment within the sector increased by 7.3% YoY, hitting an all-time high of 204,591 workers. Hotels and restaurants dominated, accounting for 80.9%
Sri Lanka recorded over 70,000 tourist arrivals in the first 17 days of September, according to provisional data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). From 1 to 17 September, a total of 70,678 international visitors entered the island, pushing the year-to-date arrivals to 1.43 million. However, the average daily arrivals have dropped to