The number of tourists visiting Sri Lanka rose sharply in January with a recovery in traditional We
stern European markets and more visitors from newer south Asian markets after the end of the war.Latest data from the government tourism authority showed arrivals rose 31.9 percent to 50,757 in January 2010, albeit from a low base the year before.
“We were at the height of the war in January 2009,” said Dileep Mudadeniya, Managing Director of the Sri Lankan Tourism Promotion Bureau.
“But this year, with the end of the war, and the winter season in the Western countries, the number of tourists has picked up very well.”
The island’s 30-year ethnic war, which had long kept the tourism industry in the doldrums, ended in May 2009, and was followed by an almost immediate recovery in tourist arrivals.
“Usually we have around 50,000 tourist arrivals in a good year, and we can see that after 4-5 years, Sri Lanka is coming back to its usual numbers,” Mudadeniya told LBO.
The number of visitors has been on the rise since the end of hostilities and hotels have been reporting high occupancy in the current winter season, with listed hotel companies also reporting profits after years of losses.
Arrivals from Western Europe, the traditional tourist generating market, rose 36.3 percent to 21,230 in January 2010 from a year ago.
The number of visitors from the UK went up 24.6 percent to 8,225, those from France up 25.9 percent to 2,272 and from Germany up 54.1 percent to 4,470.
Arrivals from South Asia, a relatively newer tourist generating market for the island, were up 44.3 percent to 12,524 in January from a year earlier.
The numbers were boosted by a surge in visitors from India, up 73.5 percent to 9,141, following promotions in the sub-continent by the Sri Lankan tourism authorities.
“We have been very active in India with a number of tourist promotions and Sri Lankan Airlines (the national carrier) flying there regularly,” Mudadeniya said.
“The visa policies being easy, the number of Indian tourists to the country, is on a rise.”
Sri Lanka now gives visas on arrival to tourists from India, which has become the main tourist generating market for Sri Lanka since 2008.
Tourist arrivals from the Middle East, another new market Sri Lanka is targeting, rose 50.1 percent to 1,722 in January.
The numbers from the Eastern Europe rose 8.7 percent to 4,407, although the number of arrivals from Russia fell 17.6 percent to 2,308 in January 2010 from a year earlier.
Arrivals from East Asia have increased 18.9 percent to 4,728, with those from Japan up 42.5 percent to 1,227.
Mudadeniya said that Japan is one the countries in the East Asian region Sri Lanka is targeting to lure more tourists to the island.
Tourist arrivals were not affected by presidential elections in January, despite some violence and uncertainty.
“The numbers speaks for themselves; there has been no drop in tourist arrivals,” Mudadeniya said.
The island’s tourism promotion bureau is currently doing a number of campaigns overseas, targeting mainly the UK, France, Germany, India, the Middle East, Australia and also, for the first time, Scandinavia.
A guide book on tourist attractions in the former northern and eastern war zone is also being produced by the tourist authorities and will be available soon, Mudadeniya said.
The island’s east coast is known to have some of its best beaches and also a well-known surfing site, in Arugam Bay where the World Surfing Championship is to be held.
Mudadeniya said tourist hotels as well as roads and other infrastructure are being built in the region.
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Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals
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