President Rajapakse and Bhattarai held an extensive discussion Saturday on the possibility of operating direct flights between Kathmandu and Colombo, reported Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, a news agency of the south Asian neighbor. “The direct flight between Colombo and Kathmandu will commence soon,” its online edition quoted a Lankan official present at the meeting.
Minhin Lanka, a Colombo based low-cost carrier, is owned by the Sri Lankan government. Direct flights between Kathmandu and Colombo have not been in operation since 2003 after the national-flag carrier of Sri Lanka that used to operate flights on the route shutdown operations citing low profitability.
According to an official at Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA), the major reason for the shutdown was low profitability and there was a good chance for a low-cost carrier to operate in this route. The officials also disclosed that talks where under way to connect Kathmandu directly and via New Delhi using fifth freedom right.
Air Service Agreement (ASA) between Nepal and Sri Lanka allows Sri Lanka based airline to operate up to 14 flights a week in Colombo-Kathmandu-Colombo sector.
In lack of direct connectivity, the number of Sri Lankan tourists visiting Nepal is negligible according to tourism entrepreneurs.
The report of the ministry states that 59,753 tourists visited Nepal last year, out of which only 1,926 came via air. Entrepreneurs say at present Sri Lankan tourists visiting Nepal enter Bhairahawa from India and return back the same day.
“Direct flights can play a key role in bringing more tourists to Nepal,” Suraj Lamichhane at Sita World Travels said. Revenue wise, Sri Lankan tourists were making no contribution to Nepal´s tourism sector at present as those who come via surface were being handled by Indian tour operators.
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