Rooms at 50% off to ads in Russia: Lanka woos tourists after attacks

To lure tourists back, Sri Lanka is hosting international sporting events and has mothballed a rule on minimum rates for hotel stays

Sri Lanka’s battered tourism industry is trying to woo visitors back to beaches deserted after deadly Easter bombings, slashing hotel rates and pushing promotions in key markets like Russia. 

Tourism, which accounts for 5 per cent of Sri Lanka’s gross domestic product, tanked after Islamist bombers on April 21 attacked luxury hotels and churches, killing 250 people, including 40 foreigners. 

England, India and the US were among countries that issued travel advisories for Sri Lanka, a diverse island with pristine beaches, ancient Buddhist temples, and lush hills that Lonely Planet selected as its top 2019 destination. 

Those advisories contributed to