Ayubowan Ukrainians!

The first batch of tourists to come post-COVID-19 pandemic arrived from Ukraine on Monday via charter flights operator SkyUp Airlines to the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport. Nearly 190 Ukrainians arrived on the flight which was the first leisure tourists-filled flight after Sri Lankan borders were closed for tourists in mid-March as part of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. The pilot project of hosting tourists from Ukraine was championed by Sri Lanka’s former Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga and was backed by the Government. Until mid-January nearly 3,000 Ukrainians are scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka for short-term holidays whilst complying with COVID-19 health guidelines. To welcome the first set of Ukrainian tourists, Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, Udayanga Weeratunga and other officials were present. The group was accorded a warm Sri Lankan welcome