Turkish Airlines on Monday commenced direct flights between Sri Lanka and Istanbul after 10 years, said Chairman of the Airport and Aviation Services Sri Lanka Ltd G. A. Chandrasiri.
Addressing an event to mark the occasion of the Turkish aircraft arriving in Sri Lanka, Chandrasiri said four flights a week will operate between the two countries.
From 2024, Turkish Airlines flights will arrive in Sri Lanka all seven days of the week, he said.
He said the number of passengers from Turkey will now increase by 300 percent.
Meanwhile, Minister of Tourism and Lands Harin Fernando, also addressing the event, said Sri Lanka plans to attract 2.5 million tourists in 2024.
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, one of Sri Lanka’s leading foreign exchange earners, is aiming to attract 2 million visitors in 2023, compared to the previous target of 1.5 million.