Levan S. Dzhagaryan, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Sri Lanka, stated that Sri Lanka is highly favored and a top choice for Russian tourists. During a courtesy call from A.U.M. Jaufar, the President of the Chamber of Tourism and Industries (CTISL), Dzhagaryan mentioned that an estimated 200,000 Russian tourists are expected to visit Sri Lanka in 2024, and efforts will be made to enhance air connectivity between the two countries.
The discussion involved the participation of Dr. M. Inamullah, the CTISL representative for the Middle East and Europe, as well as Donald Rajapsksha, the National Organiser. As of December 17 of this year, Sri Lanka has already welcomed 181,997 Russian tourists.
Alexander Dyagilev, the Deputy Head of Mission, and Galina Kuklina, the Second Secretary, also joined the discussion, which focused on promoting Sri Lankan tourism in the Russian market. Jaufar mentioned that they also discussed attracting foreign direct investments to the hospitality industry.
In response to the proposals put forth by the CTISL, Dyagilev assured that the embassy would provide any necessary assistance within the scope of their mission to coordinate with the relevant Federal Russian authorities.
