Sri Lanka is planning to resume the Jaffna-Chennai flight, which has remained suspended since last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The moves came at a time when the government is trying to revive its tourism industry. 

According to Daily Mirror, Lankan Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said on Thursday the government is planning to resume the route. 

The route will be covered under the same air bubble that the governments of Sri Lanka and India have signed earlier. The resumption, the minister claimed, would help revive the tourism industry in the country. 

Earlier, the Maldives had signed an air bubble agreement with India, which ultimately helped a great deal to sustain the tourism industry of the Indian Ocean archipelago. Indians topped the tourists’ count of the Maldives in 2020.

The Sri Lankan minister also informed about the plans to start domestic flights between Ratmalana and Jaffna and Batticaloa soon.

Jaffna and Batticaloa airports are also expected to be developed as international airports, he said speaking at the inauguration of 144 intermediate housing units for Madhu pilgrims.  

The two nations, Sri Lanka and India, are also holding discussions to launch several tourism activities together under the bio-bubble plans, he said.