Tourist arrivals up 12.6% in January

The local tourism industry started the year on a positive note as the country welcomed more than 246,972 tourists to the country in January 2018, up 12.6 per cent compared to 219,360 received in the corresponding period last year.
The country missed last year’s original tourist arrival target of 2.5 million visitors by 380,000 tourists and fell 80,000 tourists short of the revised target of 2.2 million arrivals.

The Ministry of Tourism and Christian Affairs hopes that the country would welcome more than 2.5 million travellers this year, hitting the target originally set for 2016.

According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Western Europe remained the largest market…for Sri Lanka, followed by South and East Asia. As a single market, India dominated tourist arrivals to the country with more than 43,643 tourists, followed by China with 24,819 tourists and UK with 22,410 tourists.

In January, tourist arrivals from China, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Oman and Denmark posted declines.
Tourist arrivals from North America during January this year increased 20.1 per cent, supported by increased Canadian visitors to 12,631 from 10,521 a year ago, while travellers from Latin America and the Caribbean increased 19.4 per cent to 817 from 684.
Leisure-seekers from Western Europe increased 14.9 per cent to 83,324 from 72,500, supported by increased visitors from Germany, Switzerland and Italy, while arrivals from Eastern Europe increased 15.1 per cent to 30,550 from 26,540, supported by increased visitors from Poland.

Tourist arrivals from the Middle East (West Asia) increased 25.2 per cent to 11,199 from 8,948, supported by visitors from Saudi Arabia, while travellers from Africa increased 20.8 per cent to 1,163 from 963 a year ago.
Tourist arrivals from East Asia declined 15 per cent to 41,462 from 48,773 as arrivals decreased from China, Malaysia and Indonesia, while visitors from South Asia increased 32.2 per cent to 54,815 from 41,470, supported by increased travellers from India.

Tourists from Australasia increased 22.9 per cent to 11,011 from 8,961.
Minister of Tourism and Christian Affairs John Amaratunga blamed the failure to achieve set goals on the inaction of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), which was to launch a destination marketing campaign last May.
The Minister had requested the resignation of SLTPB Chairman Udaya Nanayakkara in writing, citing that he had received several complaints from the industry. (MA)