Sri Lanka aims to construct domestic airport in central hills to boost tourism

8/9/2018 - 9:47:34 AM

The Sri Lankan cabinet on August 8 approved a proposal to conduct a feasibility study to construct an airport in the central hills of Kandy in order to boost tourism in the area.

Tourists watch elephants at a river in Pinnawela, northeast of Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Photo: AFP)

Cabinet Spokesperson Gayantha Karunathilleke said that following a proposal by Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva, cabinet had granted permission to conduct the feasibility study.

The airport will be built for domestic air services and will be aimed at boosting foreign visitors as Kandy is a popular tourist destination.

Sri Lanka aims to double the number of tourists to 5 million by 2020 as part of a new tourist strategy to boost earnings of the South Asian island country, Tourism Minister John Amaratunga said.

The primary areas of focus, according to the plan, include world-class management of natural and cultural heritage sites, strong connectivity to and around the island country and ensuring a safe and secure destination.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said last week the government also aims to develop airports in the north and east in order to establish a strong air connectivity throughout the is

Source: NDO

Existential danger from COVID-19 pandemic

The danger from the COVID-19 pandemic is still latent, threatening people’s health and lives in the context that the immunity provided from the COVID-19 vaccine has decreased. Many other dangerous diseases are also likely to break out when the global vaccination rate slows down, due to inequality in access to health services, vaccine hesitancy, and consequences of economic recession.

Vietnam among ASEAN countries recording EV sales surge

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is witnessing a rise in the sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, according to Maybank Investment Bank Research (Maybank IB Research).

International friends bid farewell to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong

The respect paying ceremony for Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong continued on the morning of July 26 at the National Funeral Hall in Hanoi, with high-level delegations from foreign countries and international organisations paying their last respects and expressing deep condolences.

Global outpouring of grief for Vietnamese Party chief

A wave of condolences have poured in from world leaders, international organisations, rulling parties, Communist parties and partner parties following the death of Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, a revered leader in Vietnam and world: Australian Senate President

President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines has expressed her deepest sympathy over the passing of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and affirmed that he is a revered leader both in Vietnam and across the world.

Vietnam hopes UN, ASEAN coordinate closely, effectively over Myanmar issue: Ambassador

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Vietnam’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), on June 5 had a meeting with UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop during her working visit to New York.