President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday emphasized on the requirement to have a domestic airport in the District of Kandy to achieve the maximum benefits of the country’s booming tourism industry.

 

The President at a meeting held at the Temple Trees yesterday instructed the relevant officials to submit a feasibility report to construct a domestic airport in Kandy, within the areas of Kandasale and Hewaheta as proposed.

 

President Rajapaksa said the dawn of peace and the consequent rapid growth of tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka, has attracted both foreign as well as local investments  into the tourism industry.  Therefore domestic airports would be very useful for the investors as well as the short term tourists who arrive in Sri Lanka.

 

President also said that almost every tourist coming to Sri Lanka visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy which is Kandy’s main attraction and also the Kandy Esala Perahera draws tourists from all over the world.  Therefore the matter should be expedited without further delay to improve mode of transport and high foreign income

 

Minister of Mass Media & Information Keheliya Rambukwella said through the domestic airport it would be possible to expand other services and facilities thereby giving economic benefits to the people in the Kandy District. 

 

Ministers Keheliya Rambukwella, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana and Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Central Province Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa, Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunge and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa also attended the conference.