COLOMBO, April 27 -- Sri Lanka's government on Sunday (26) issued a call for investments in a currently loss-making airport, after a 30-year lease agreement with an Indo-Russian joint venture failed to take off.

Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, built with Chinese loans near a wildlife sanctuary on the island's southern coast, has no regular flights.

The small airport has failed to generate enough revenue to cover even electricity bills since opening in 2013, and has been a running sore on state coffers.

Calling for expressions of interest from investors, the government said the facility offers "untapped potential for growth opportunities. for exotic tourism development and strategic investment".

In 2024, the Sri Lankan governm...