Sri Lanka’s tourism sector is celebrating a significant achievement as tourist arrivals surge past the 800,000 mark, instilling optimism for meeting year-end targets.
This milestone represents a remarkable upswing, a feat previously attained only in August of the preceding year. It underscores the considerable strides made in the tourism sector, reflecting strong interest and engagement with Sri Lanka as a premier destination for travelers.
During the first week of May alone, Sri Lanka welcomed 28,525 tourists, propelling the total number of visitors to 813,176.
For the year 2024, Sri Lanka Tourism is anticipating 2.3 million arrivals and aiming for an income of $4 billion.
India leads the charge as the foremost generating market for May, contributing 5,600 tourists, trailed by the Maldives with 3,170 visitors and the UK with 1,888 tourists.
Despite the typical seasonal dip in arrivals during May, industry stakeholders remain bullish. Sri Lanka Tourism is intensifying its efforts during this off-peak period, rolling out a global PR and digital campaign across 15 markets to attract more visitors.
Year-to-date (YTD) data underscores India’s dominance in the market, comprising 16% of total arrivals with 129,183 tourists. Russia closely follows with 13% (108,140), trailed by the UK at 9% (73,880), Germany at 7% (59,508), and China at 5% (49,432).