First six days of July draw 24,000 tourists

Sri Lanka is off to a promising start in July as it welcomed nearly 24,000 tourists within the first six days of the month, boosted by Indian travellers. This surge in arrivals has propelled the cumulative figure for the year to an impressive 648,775, highlighting the country›s growing appeal as a tourist destination.

India emerged as the leading contributor to this positive trend, accounting for 18% of the arrivals or 4,465 tourists, followed by the United Kingdom with 9% (2,083 tourists), Germany with 8% (1,537), while the Maldives and China tied at 8% (1,390 and 1,391 tourists respectively), the provisional data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority showed.

Additionally, Sri Lanka also welcomed visitors from other key markets, including Australia, Canada, France, Russia, and the United States, further diversifying its tourist profile.

In light of these encouraging numbers, Sri Lanka Tourism has set an ambitious target of welcoming 137,594 tourists for the entire month of July. 

Analysing the year-to-date figures, India retains its stronghold as the top tourist source market for Sri Lanka, contributing a cumulative number of arrivals at 120,658 (19%). Russia closely follows with 111,286 arrivals (17%), while the United Kingdom, Germany, and France account for 8% (52,905), 7% (46,734), and 4% (28,707) of the overall arrivals, respectively.

Industry analysts said with the current influx of visitors and ongoing promotional efforts, the tourism sector is hopeful of achieving the monthly objective and reinforcing Sri Lanka›s position as a premier destination.

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Chairman Chalaka Gajabahu recently highlighted the importance of focusing on India and China, along with other targeted markets, as the country’s best bets for tourism growth.

He identified India and China as Sri Lanka’s primary tourism source market for the foreseeable future, citing Europe’s ongoing economic recession.

Last month, tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka in June exceeded its target whilst recording over 100,000 visitors after four years, despite it being a traditionally low tourist-generating month. Generally, May to October are considered off-season.

“These encouraging statistics serve as a testament to Sri Lanka›s diverse attractions. The country›s rich heritage, warm hospitality, and rejuvenating experiences continue to captivate travellers from around the globe,” he added.

The industry also said they are hopeful of the marketing blitz that will commence towards the end of the month.

Source: First six days of July draw 24,000 tourists | Daily FT