Sri Lanka’s aviation policy must be further liberalized to promote tourism, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau Chairman Udaya Nanayakkara said Monday.
Speaking at the International Civil Aviation Organization’s annual conference at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, Nanayakkara said years of inconsistent and protectionist policies had hurt Sri Lanka’s economy.
Even though the island is “blessed” with natural beauty, culture, and a strategic geographic location on major trade routes, “we have not made use to this gift to us,” he said.
“(This is) mainly because our aviation policy, and our shipping policy, among other policies, have not been consistent,” he added. “I’m glad now that I understand the aviation policy is going to be further liberalized.”
Right now, “the third largest foreign exchange earner to this island, for its economy, is tourism.” But he said it should be the single largest foreign exchange earner.
“The government’s vision is to make Sri Lanka an aviation, shipping, financial, banking, and entertainment hub of South Asia,” he said. To that end, he said it was the state and tourism sector’s goal to increase plane arrivals to the island from 2,000 to 5,000.
11 major airlines, including SriLankan Airlines, Emirates, and Qatar Airlines, carried over 80 percent of tourist traffic to Sri Lanka last year, Sri Lankan Tourism Development Authority data shows. Nanayakkara said the government needed to make it easier for more planes to land at both of Sri Lanka’s international airports.
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