In a testament to President Ranil Wickremesinghe's economic strategies and the prevailing tranquility in the nation, tourist arrivals have surged to unprecedented heights this year. Athula Galkatiya, Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd., highlighted the substantial increase in foreign tourist arrivals, attributing it to the government's initiatives and the peaceful atmosphere within the country.

The Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake, has become a bustling hub, witnessing a remarkable rise in air passenger traffic. According to Galkatiya, from January 1 to March 19, 2024, BIA served a staggering 850,000 air passengers. Projections suggest that this surge could culminate in approximately 10 million passengers utilizing the airport by year-end.

Comparatively, the figures demonstrate a significant uptick from previous years. In 2022, BIA facilitated 5 million passengers, a number that rose to 8 million in 2023.