Sri Lanka’s Redeveloped Eastern Airport Set to Boost Tourism into Former War-Ravaged Areas – The Island Continues to Recover from the Civil War

Airportprasad, Batticaloa Airport, CC BY-SA 4.0

Originally a military-base, the Batticaloa Airport has undergone an extensive re-development process in order to facilitate tourism to the island’s East-Coast, particularly towards areas that were ravaged by war. The redevelopment cost a total of Rs 1.4 Billion, and presently private domestic airlines by ‘Cinnamon Air’ operate twice to this airport from Colombo on a daily basis. Only time will tell if the construction of the airport will pose a threat to entities such as Malkey Rent a Car, or any other cab service in Colombo. Sri Lanka has in recent times also developed their highways considerably.

In order to promote the freshly developed airport, the government provides free landing and parking for three months to airlines that will offer scheduled flights to the Batticaloa Airport. Plans to build an aviation school in Batticaloa before the end of the year have also been unveiled.