Colombo, March 20 - Owing to President Ranil Wickremesinghe's economic initiatives and the peaceful environment fostered within the country, the arrival of foreign tourists has risen, Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd. Chairman Athula Galkatiya said.

Consequently, the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake has seen a notable increase in air passenger usage.

The Chairman said that from January 1 to March 19, 2024, the number of air passengers who utilized BIA services amounted to 850,000.

He noted that it is anticipated approximately 10 million passengers will utilize the airport by the end of this year. 

The total number of passengers using the BIA in 2022 was 5 million, with a projected increase to 8 million in 2023, the chairman said.