Sri Lanka to reopen airports on January 21

COLOMBO (News1st): Sri Lanka will reopen airports for tourists on January 21 under health guidelines after a 10-month lay-off, tourism minister Prasanna Ranatunga said Tuesday. "About 3 million people depend on the tourism industry for financial income," the minister told a news briefing, justifying the decision. He recalled that airports were initially due to reopen in June last year, but that the move had been delayed due to the second surge in COVID-19 infections. Tourists had been barred from entering the country since March until authorities rolled out a "pilot project" by bringing down Ukrainian tourists in December last year. "We have identified the flaws in the pilot project," Ranatunga noted. The tourism minister said that tourists, who test negative for COVID-19 will be allowed to visit 14 places including the Sri Dalada Maligawa temple in Kandy.