Ukrainian tourists engage in whale watching

COLOMBO (News1st): The first batch of Ukrainian tourists touring Sri Lanka as part of a pilot tourism project engaged in whale watching off Mirissa on Saturday. "I think this is good news for everyone in the tourism industry," Udayanga Weeratunga, a former Sri Lankan ambassador to Russia told media. Weeratunga had accompanied the tourist group that went whale watching. Another group of Ukrainian tourists visited the Yala National Park that is among the locations permitted to be visited by the health ministry. Meanwhile, the third flight carrying Ukrainian tourists arrived in the country with 178 passengers, officials said. Five tourists among the first batch of 180 that arrived on December 28 last year had tested positive for COVID-19, according to health authorities. Tourists have been allowed to travel without the 14-day quarantine period as they will not have direct contact with the community, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority said.