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A $1 billion airport has less than 10 passengers per day. The grandiose structure even serves as a place to store rice. A true “white elephant”!
Have you ever heard of a airport that looks more like a ghost town? Well, in Sri Lanka there is a giant worth R$1 billion that receives less than 10 passengers per day.
But how did such an expensive and ambitious project become almost useless? The answer lies in poorly executed planning and expectations that never came to fruition.
Located in Hambantota, just four hours from the capital Colombo, Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport It was built with the promise of transforming the region into a tourist hub.
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Inaugurated in 2013, the project was part of a set of presidential initiatives that, on paper, were grand.
According to local sources, then President Mahinda Rajapaksa believed that the airport would be an attraction for Asian and Western tourists, but the reality turned out to be quite different.
A ghost airport
The multi-million dollar structure, which was supposed to attract thousands of tourists and generate development, is now known as the “loneliest airport in the world”.
With an average of only 10 passengers per day, Mattala Rajapaksa has virtually deserted air cargo terminals and check-in counters.
“The quietest place in the world,” as it was nicknamed, symbolizes one of the country's biggest planning failures.
Unfulfilled promises
According to local analysts, the project was financed by Chinese loans and aimed to boost tourism and the local economy.
However, the tourists never came. Mahinda Rajapaksa, president at the time, envisioned hotels, casinos and other infrastructure to transform the region. But, without the promised demand, the place was left empty.
To make matters worse, the high operating and maintenance costs of the airport have been a burden to the government.
With little revenue coming from flights, cargo terminals were rented to store rice from the region. Yes, a R$1 billion airport storing crops!
Additionally, the parking lot, originally intended for hundreds of planes, now serves as a garage for unused aircraft.
an uncertain future
The fate of Mattala Rajapaksa Airport remains uncertain. According to some sources, Indian and Russian companies have expressed interest in taking over the management of the site.
However, details about these possible negotiations have not yet been disclosed. In the meantime, the service desks remain deserted, and the rare flights make the airport look like a monument to the waste of public money.
Lessons to be learned
The “white elephant” of Hambantota raises important questions about planning and managing public projects.
It is a reminder that not all infrastructure investment results in economic development, especially when expectations do not match reality.
This case also warns about the risks of depending on external financing for ambitious projects, without guaranteeing the expected return.
And you, reader, what do you think about the waste of resources on projects like this? Can Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport still be saved? Or will it continue to be an example of empty promises? Leave your opinion in the comments!
