November 30th, 2022 (15:00 hrs): This year’s first cruise ship to dock at HIP was TUI’s Mein Schiff 5, which berthed at 8am, and will leave for Pulau Penang Island, Malaysia at 8pm. The Yala national park, Udawalawe wildlife park, and the historical rock temple of Mulkirigala were among the top attractions for visitors to Hambantota International Port. The MV Azamara Quest is expected to arrive on December 5th.
Additionally, Bundala National Park, Hambantota Botanical Gardens, Galle and Kataragama were popular destinations among the Mein Schiff 5’s passengers. Aside from exploring Hambantota by tuk-tuk, some enjoyed the beaches in the Shangri La Hotel.
“As well as being her maiden call at the port, Mein Schiff 5 is the first passenger cruise ship to call at the port since the pandemic began. We are pleased to be part of this initiative to rekindle interest in Sri Lanka’s tourism and have taken many steps in the last four months to encourage tourism in the region. It was undoubtedly a great boost for the tourist economy in the south when the vessel called at the Hambantota International Port,” said Johnson Liu, CEO of Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG).
On board Mein Schiff 5, Johnson Liu, the CEO of HIPG, and Capt. Ravi Jayawickreme, CEO of Hambantota International Port Services (HIPS), and Anastasiou Ioannis, Captain of Mein Schiff 5, exchanged plaques to mark the ship’s maiden call at HIP. HIPG COO Tissa Wickramasinghe was also in attendance.
