Smartwings launches charter flights connecting tourists from Budapest to Colombo
Daily FT: Czech airline Smartwings commenced direct charter flights to Colombo last month from Budapest providing a useful connection to tourists for the winter season.
The inaugural flight touched down at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) recently with 183 passengers on board.
Operating weekly, the Smartwings charter flights from Budapest to Colombo are set to continue every Wednesday till 3 April 2024, providing a convenient travel option for passengers seeking direct connectivity between Hungary and Sri Lanka.
The inaugural flight was welcomed by a celebratory water cannon salute upon arrival at the BIA organized by the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd., (AASL) and the passengers were warmly welcomed by a traditional Kandyan dance performance organized by Jetwing Travels.
Sri Lanka Tourism Marketing Officer – Scandinavian and Baltic countries Jagath Perera, Jetwing Travels Deputy General Manager Charith Nalaka, Hayleys Aviation and Projects Ltd. (GHA for the airline in Sri Lanka) Assistant Manager Sasidharan Kumarasamy and AASL Marketing and Corporate Communication Head Dr. Sumith de Silva were present at the occasion.
OSL take:
There has been a steady growth in the number of foreign travelers visiting Sri Lanka resulting in many international airlines increasing the number of flights operated to Sri Lanka. There has also been an increase in foreign flights being operated between Sri Lanka and many other foreign destinations. All this is indicative of the steady growth in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. There are growing business/investment opportunities in the development of infrastructure and supplementary infrastructure facilities required by the industry due to the growing demand. This demand has also expanded business/investment opportunities in the leisure and hospitality sectors. With the continuing promotional campaigns carried out by local authorities in key tourist source markets and Sri Lanka being identified as a must visit tourist destination by the international media, there will be a further growth in the country’s tourism industry in the coming months. The growth and business potential in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is not lost on international leisure and hospitality brands that have shown interest in entering the industry. Given that Sri Lanka is also targeting on becoming an emerging business destination in the South Asian region, foreign businesses/investors could explore the expanding opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. They could also look at forming partnerships or joint ventures with local businesses engaged in the tourism industry with the aim of further expansion.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20240123/Z_2 |