The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau recently held a special ceremony at the Bandaranaike International Airport to celebrate reaching 100,000 Russian tourists visiting Sri Lanka on direct flights. This milestone was achieved through a collaboration between several airlines like Aeroflot, Azur Air and Redwings who have been operating direct flights from Russia since October 10th, 2022.

The ceremony, held on July 17th, involved welcoming the passengers and crew of an arriving Aeroflot flight from Moscow. The visitors received a warm traditional welcome with dances and cultural performances at the airport's Lotus Lounge. It seemed to be much appreciated by the Russian tourists.

Among the attendees were the Russian Ambassador, the Chairman of the Airport and Aviation Services, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, the former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia, and representatives from local travel companies who helped make these direct flights happen.

In his speech, the Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services talked about how the increase in Russian visitors shows that Sri Lanka's culture and hospitality resonate with Russians. The Chairman of the Convention Bureau also highlighted how tourist arrivals have been steadily increasing daily. The Aeroflot Captain thanked everyone for the wonderful hospitality.

This milestone is seen as the result of sustained marketing efforts by Sri Lanka Tourism to promote the Russian market. It strengthens economic and cultural ties between the countries. The positive experiences of these tourists will hopefully encourage more Russians to choose Sri Lanka for their next vacation.

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