Colombo (dpa) – Sri Lanka opened its airports to foreign tourists again on Monday, receiving its first flight in eight months after visitors were prohibited due to the coronavirus pandemic, officials said.
The flight with 180 tourists from Ukraine arrived at the Mattala international airport.
Sri Lanka decided to reopen its two international airports for tourists under strict health guidelines, which will require guest to remain in hotels for the first week before touring selected destinations, a Tourism Ministry spokesman said.
Visiting tourists will be able to stay only in selected hotels dedicated for them, while the local staff have been prohibited from leaving the premises.
The tourists, who arrived with a PCR test report after being checked for Covid-19, underwent a similar test at the airport after arrival and will undergo a third test within five days.
Tourists will be able to travel to 12 destinations, including three wildlife parks, a historic temple and an elephant orphanage. They will be required to visit the locations according to a schedule to minimize contact with local guests.
Sri Lanka is expecting to attract some 10,000 tourists within the next three weeks, mainly from Russia and Ukraine. The country hopes to expand the countries depending on the outcome.
The moves to open up the country for tourists come despite the country recording 500 to 600 Covid-19 patients per day while the death toll due to the virus has increased to 191.
GNA