Prasanna woos more Russian tourists during visit to Moscow

Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga with Russian Federation Federal Agency for Tourism Deputy Head Lysenkova Elena Vasilievna (fourth from right) during their meeting in Moscow

Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga visited Moscow recently to woo more Russians to travel to Sri Lanka for an enthralling yet safe holiday.

His visit coincided with the resumption of SriLankan Airlines’ direct weekly flights to Moscow on Saturday, following an absence of six years.

During his brief stay in Moscow, Minister Ranatunga held a useful meeting with Russian Federation Federal Agency for Tourism (FAT) Deputy Head Lysenkova Elena Vasilievna and Head of the Department of International Cooperation Smilevets Demyan Olegovich.

During the meeting, Ranatunga reiterated that Sri Lanka was a popular tourist destination for Russians and that there was scope to increase the number of arrivals. He also updated Russia’s FAT on the tourist-friendly health protocols and other guidelines Sri Lanka was following amid the COVID pandemic. “We are keen to ensure a comfortable environment for Russian tourists,” the Minister noted.

Development of tourism infrastructure in Sri Lanka, bilateral tourism communications, as well as ongoing and planned destination marketing efforts in Russia, were also highlighted.

Ranatunga stressed the importance of establishing regular communications with tourism companies between Russia and Sri Lanka. The idea of selecting a Russian sister city or region and developing cooperation with it was also mooted, along with the possibility of organising a tourism forum in Moscow, as well as participation in travel and tourism exhibitions in Russia.

Minister Ranatunga said Sri Lanka would develop a robust annual marketing plan to woo more Russian tourists, one which would include inviting Russian media and new travel agents on a familiarisation tour.

SriLankan Airlines has announced a special ‘buy one, get one free’ offer for Russian holidaymakers to visit Sri Lanka during this summer vacation period. This offer will be valid till 31 October. 

The national carrier said this special offer would enable Russian leisure travellers to explore numerous attractions available in Sri Lanka once the country relaxed travel regulations for inbound tourists. It is hoped that the discounted air tickets, together with special incentives offered by the Sri Lankan industry partners, would indeed influence Russian holidaymakers to choose Sri Lanka as the best place to travel.

SriLankan Airlines also hopes to increase its frequency during the forthcoming winter season. 

In the first seven months of 2021, there had been 702 Russian tourists as the country ranked as the ninth largest source market. Last year there were 49,400 Russian tourists before Sri Lanka closed its borders in view of the COVID pandemic. Russia was the third biggest source market in 2010.

In 2019 tourist arrivals from Russia hit an all-time high with its flag carrier Aeroflot’s expansion of services to Colombo playing a key part. That year Russia was the seventh biggest source market, with 86,549 tourists arriving, reflecting a high 34% growth in comparison to 2018.