Sri Lankan Airlines plans to cash in on tourism boom

Sri Lanka's national carrier SriLankan Airlines is expanding its domestic flights and plans to purchase a plane to meet rising demand, an official said here on Friday. SriLankan Air Taxi service is now running a network connecting 17 local destinations to its network, SriLankan Airlines Product Development and Air Taxi Manager Sanjeeva Jayatileke told media. Jayatileke said since the reintroduction of the air taxi service in 2010, the airline has seen an upward trend in both demand and revenue. The airline, which had only five operating locations in July this year has added 12 locations within a five-month period with Trincomalee in the former war-torn eastern province being the latest addition. In two weeks the Air Taxi will extend its operation to Batticaloa also in the east and add three more destinations from the beginning of 2012. "Currently operation is carried out by two De Havilland Twin Otter aircraft that the company acquired from Kenn Borek Air Limited Canada on a two year wet lease. We hope to purchase another Twin Otter aircraft by the end of next year and train local staff to take over all operations," Jayatileke said. Sri Lanka is Asia's fastest growing tourism market, recording 22.2 percent increase in arrivals this year after a three-decade conflict ended in 2009. It is now aimed to attract 950,000 tourists in 2012.