traders and industrialists have for long been demanding more international flights from madurai at present dubai and sri lanka are the only two foreign countries connected directly by madurai airport although many foreign operators are willing to launch flights from the city airport especially in the backdrop of international cargo facility they could not do so in the absence of a bilateral treaty the traders want the ministry of civil aviation to take steps to ensure more flights connecting various international destinationsaccording to madurai travel clubs estimation more than three lakh people travel every year between dubai and madurai two lakh people working in dubai hail from madurai and southern districts in all 20 to 30 per cent of international passengers from chennai are from madurai and southern districts around 30 to 40 per cent of international passengers using trichy airport are from nine districts around maduraiclub also says that dubai being one of the topmost tourist destinations in the world for sightseeing and shopping direct flights would facilitate more leisure travellers from south tamil nadu according to president of tamil nadu chamber of commerce n jegatheesan international connectivity from madurai would be more viable once the international cargo came into place more flight operators would come forward to operate to various international destinationsaccording to n sriram of balika tours and travels there was good scope for direct international flights to malaysia singapore and gulf countries although international connectivity is available via colombo and dubai direct international flights will make a big difference he said many international carriers are willing to operate from gulf countries malaysia and singapore but they needed pairing of cities the centre through ministry of civil aviation should take the initiative for the connectivity to happen he said