Sri Lanka will not host Russian charter flights during the off-season due to diminished demand and a lack of summer promotions, according to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR).
The suspension, effective until October, follows the early termination of Red Wings Airlines’ winter charter programme to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) in early April, with affected passengers rerouted via alternative flights.
The 412-seat Red Wings aircraft previously allocated for Sri Lanka is now expected to be redeployed for Egypt-bound charters, a rapidly growing summer destination for Russian tourists. ATOR emphasised that Sri Lanka’s tourist inflows remain heavily reliant on charter operations, particularly from Russian regions, and warned of a significant decline in summer arrivals without such flights. Notably, tour operators are yet to announce charter or block flight programmes to Sri Lanka for the 2025 summer season.
Ahead of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, Sri Lanka’s Deputy Tourism Minister shared with Mirror Business plans to extend MRIA’s airport charge waivers to attract Russian charters until the end of this year. However, former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia Udyanga Weeratunga alleged on a recent social media that certain officials sought to reintroduce fees to facilitate the airport’s privatisation, urging the government to reverse the decision.
Intourist, a leading Russian tour operator, stressed the need for coordinated campaigns by Sri Lanka’s Tourism Ministry and stakeholders to promote off-season travel and state-backed charter programmes. However, it noted that efforts for summer 2024 may be too late, as bookings are typically finalised 1–2 months in advance.
Sri Lanka faces stiff competition from established summer destinations such as Turkey, Egypt, and Thailand, which offer robust flight connectivity.
Russian tour operator Coral Travel highlighted Sri Lanka’s “strict seasonality,” noting its popularity as a winter destination. While the island’s east coast offers summer potential, underdeveloped infrastructure including both within hotels and in surrounding areas which remains a barrier.
Russia, Sri Lanka’s second-largest source market with 104,441 arrivals so far during this year, slipped to third place in the first 20 days of April.
Industry experts warn that revitalising year-round appeal will require strategic investments in marketing, dynamic pricing and infrastructure to compete in the global tourism landscape.
Daily Mirror
