Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals in February 2012 Up by 27pct

15th March 2012, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Sri Lanka's tourist arrivals increased 27 percent to 83,549 in February 2012, from a year earlier, and visitors during the first two months were up 21 percent to 169,423, the state tourist promotion office said.

South Asia, the second largest generating market, showed an increase of 14.1 percent with Indian arrivals up 12.6 percent to 11,342 and Maldives up 15.4 percent to 2,675.





Arrivals from Western Europe rose 23.4 percent to 38,364, though UK visitors fell 9 percent to 8,746. German arrivals rose 42.6 percent to 7,654, arrivals from France increased 27.7 percent to 6,378 and those from the Netherlands rose 15 percent to 2,596.


Eastern Europe generated 3,675 visitors up 62.4 percent and the Middle East brought 3,675 visitors up 21 percent.

North America showed a 20 percent increase to 4,166 with US arrivals up 17.7 percent to 2,252 and Canadian visitors up 22.9 percent to 1,914.

Sri Lanka's tourist arrivals have boomed since the end of a civil war in 2009. In 2011, arrivals rose 30.8 percent to 855,975.

Image Courtesy: www.ft.lk


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Tourism to be Sri Lanka's Top Forex Earner by 2016 with the Target of 2.5mn Tourist Arrivals

12th March 2012, www.dailynews.lk, By Shirajiv Sirimane

Tourism, with revenue generated from visa on arrival fees will be Sri Lanka's number one foreign exchange earner by 2016 where the country is targeting 2.5 million tourist arrivals. Sri Lankan tourist industry would achieve a golden double of more than one million arrivals and US$ one billion revenue by year's end,which is the target set for 2013.

Tourist Hotels Association and Serene Pavilion Chairman, Anura Lokuhetty said that with peace, tourism is achieving its targets ahead of time. The target set for 2016 is 2.5 million arrivals and US$ three billion in revenue.

However with this positive trend set to continue, the country would collect over US $ six billion (with visa fee charges) which would make the industry the number one foreign exchange earner from its current fifth position, he said.

He said that though there was fear in the industry that the visa on arrival policy would have a negative impact on the industry this has not been the case.

However he cautioned that Sri Lanka is not the only girl in the beach and other countries too are trying hard to promote themselves more vigorously than Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is currently a hot destination. However this advantage would not be there for ever. I think international marketing is now a grey area for Sri Lanka as the private sector cannot do this, he said.

Sri Lanka tourism should take a lead in this regard and invite foreign travel writers to come to Sri Lanka as newspaper publicity would help to promote Sri Lanka in a big way.

He also cautioned the industry that though the country is getting high spenders they should not ‘over price’ since this too would drive away tourists.

The International Tourism Exchange, which is also known as the ITB, is considered the largest global event of the Travel Industry concluded yesterday. Since 1968, Sri Lanka played a considerable role as a member of this event.

In 2012 too, Sri Lanka Tourism plans to take part in this event with positive expectations, marking the consecutive 44th year successfully.

German tourists to Sri Lanka alone exceeded 55,880 last year, indicating a very good potential for Sri Lanka in the German tourist market and this is expected to reach a five figure mark this year.

The awards were designed with Sri Lankan gems with the intention of promoting exclusive Sri Lankan gems in Germany.

This event was held with the participation of Deputy Minister Economic Development Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene, Ambassador Sarath Kongahage, Chairman, Sri Lankan Airlines, Nishantha Wickramasinge and other industry stakeholders.

Image: Three German Tour Operators were awarded for their loyalty. Deputy Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene, SriLankan Chairman Nishantha Wickremasinghe and Ambassador Sarath Kongahage with the award winners. Picture by Shirajiv Sirimane

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Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals in January 2012 Up by 15.7pct

10th February 2012, www.news360.lk

Sri Lanka has received 85,874 tourists to the country during the month of January this year.

Sri Lanka Tourism says this is a year on year increase of 15.7% compared to 74,197 tourists received during January 2010.

Arrivals from all the major markets have increased during January, with the highest number of tourists coming from the Western Europe amounting to 36,497 tourists.

Tourists from the Western European Region have seen an arrival growth of 11.9%.

Visitors to the country from the South Asian Region also have run up to 19,209 tourists which is a growth of just 7.3%.

Out of the lot, 14,615 tourists have come from neighboring India.

Tourist arrivals from Eastern Europe during January have gone up to 6,838, marking the highest year on year growth of 22.3%, when compared with the other regions.

Sri Lanka also has received 5,177 tourists from North America, which is a growth of 21.1% compared to January 2010.

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Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals in December 2011 Up by 15.2pct

06th January 2012, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Sri Lanka's tourist arrivals in 2011 jumped 30.8 percent to a record 855,975 from a year ago with the peak season month of December also at a new high, the tourism office said.

The South Asia region accounted for the second biggest increase in arrivals which shot up 35.3 percent to 237,647 last year from 2010, accounting for 28 percent of the total.

Tourist arrivals in December 2011 rose 15.2 percent from a year ago to hit a monthly record of 97,517, exceeding the nation's previous monthly high of 90,889 in November.

Sri Lanka's previous record high for tourist arrivals had been 654,476 in 2010 with the tourism boom starting after the island's 30-year ethnic war ended in 2009 with arrivals rising ever since.

The number of visitors from Western Europe, the island's biggest regional market, rose 22.7 percent to 315,210, accounting for 37 percent of the total.

According to a country-wise breakdown of arrivals, the highest number of tourists came from India in 2011, rising 35 percent to 171,374 from the year before. The United Kingdom was the second biggest market with 106,082 visitors, up marginally from 2010, while arrivals from Germany, another big market, rose 22.2 percent to 55,882.

Visitors from China rose 56.4 percent to 16,308 and those from Japan rose 43.4 percent to 20,586.

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Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals in June 2011 Up by 20pct

13th July 2011, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka rose 19.9 percent in June to 53,636 with the Middle East and Asia driving growth and Western Europe flattening, data from the tourism promotion office showed.

Visitors from South Asia rose 22.1 percent to 18,431 with India rising 12,927 and Maldives rising 12.8 percent to 3,679. Visitors from India zoomed after Sri Lanka allowed on-arrival visas from the country in 2002.

Visitors from Western Europe edged up only 1.5 percent to 14,087 with UK arrivals dropping 17.2 percent to 5,188. But arrivals from France rose 36 percent to 2,019 and German visitors rose 31 percent to 2,474.

European arrivals peak during the northern hemisphere winter and Sri Lanka's western coast is also less sunny during the local rainy season. However Sri Lanka is now opening up its East coast which is bright and sunny and calm during middle of the year.

Middle Eastern visitors rose 79 percent to 4,487 and East Asian visitors rose 32 percent to 6,836. Arrivals from China rose 33.5 percent to 1,132 from Japan up 48 percent to 1,180 and Singapore up 18 percent to 1,343.

Visitors from Australia rose 6.7 percent to 2,727.

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Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals in May 2011 Up by 39pct

25th June 2011, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka rose 39 percent to 48,000 in May 2011 from a year earlier, led by increases in visitors from India and East Asia, data from the tourist promotion office showed.

Last year arrivals rose 46 percent after a 30-year war ended. In the five months to May arrivals are so far up 40.2 percent to 327,902 from a year earlier.

In May visitors from India rose 55 percent to 16,649 driving arrivals from South Asia up 53 percent to 21,016.

East Asian visitors rose 66 percent 6,605, with across the board increases in most countries. Chinese visitors rose 100 percent to 1,337, while those from Japan rose 43 percent to 1,054, Malaysia was up 57 percent to 1,194 and Thailand

was up 179 percent to 785.

Arrivals from Western Europe rose 17.4 percent to 12,419 with French visitors rising 81 percent to 2,758.
Visitors from Britain fell 0.4 percent to 4,452 while German arrivals rose a modest 3.2 percent to 2,137.

Sri Lanka's resort tourism industry is now facing the so-called 'off-season' for European visitors who peak during the northern hemisphere winter.

The island's main beach resorts in the Western and Southern areas also face wet weather during the time.

However the island is now developing its East Coast for tourism after the end of a 30-year war which provides sunny weather at this time of the year.

Heavy demand has also pushed up room rates in Sri Lanka above comparable East Asian competitors.

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Sri Lanka to Continue Visa on Arrival Following Concerns about Impact on Tourism. Online Visas also to Function

26th June 2011, sundaytimes.lk, By Sunimalee Dias

The Government will continue with the Visa-on-Arrival (VOA) scheme from September for a short period while at the same time implementing the new online-visa for visitors, following concern from the trade that the move could reduce tourist numbers.

Deputy Economic Development Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena told the Business Times that both the current (VOA) and proposed online system will operate until the new system is fully operational and depending on the feedback from visitors.

The online visa scheme operative from September, ironically when the lucrative winter season starts, could turn into a crisis with industry sources saying this would affect arrivals . However some sources say the twin schemes, even though temporary, could also cause a lot of confusion.

The online visa system is likely to have a “substantial impact” on the tourism industry with figures set to drop as it is coming at a time just prior to winter arrivals, Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) President Anura Lokuhetty told the Business Times, days before Mr Abeywardene explained that both systems would work.

Mr Lokuhetty urged that this scheme be delayed at least until May next year when the industry comes around (improves). “Winter will get definitely affected,” he said adding that most arrivals from India will be impacted.

Currently, India is the number one market for the tourism industry in Sri Lanka overtaking UK and Germany with the highest number of arrivals for last month growing by 55%. While Sri Lanka continues to place restrictions with marginal or no promotions the country is set to lose in the backdrop of competing nations like Malaysia at 15 million visitors, Thailand with 14 million and Singapore projecting 12.5 million arrivals this year. These countries have “massive tourist arrivals but still there are no visa restrictions,” Mr. Lokuhetty noted.

Indian tourists are likely to be hit the worst as Jetwing Hotels Chairman Hiran Cooray pointed out they will not be able to come down to Colombo on the spur-of-the moment anymore. While the government notes that such a system is required for security concerns however, the industry believes this could adversely affect the budding sector trying to make a comeback and grab a slice in the highly competitive market.

The industry noted that any discussions with the government after decisions have been taken will be beyond them right now. “We have no say on the matter,” Sri Lanka Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) President Nilmin Nanayakkara said adding that this new regulation was to be implemented in August last year however; due to objections by the industry it was postponed.

He however noted that should the online visa system be “user friendly” as explained to them the impact on arrivals could be minimal. The new system could reduce arrivals from the 800, 000 target for this year although an increase is envisaged over 2010.

A similar move was averted by the tourism industry back in 2007 with the imposition of an additional 10% on visa fees, which was later postponed.
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Indian Tourists, A Major Market for Sri Lanka’s Tourism Industry

25th June 2011, www.island.lk

India constitutes a big market with a growing middle class who creates an increasing demand for travel and tourism. This provides a major source market for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, provided that the tourism industry is set to capitalize on the opportunity that it has within close proximity by recognizing the specific features of the Indian tourists.

Dr. Sirimal Abeyratne, Professor of Economics of the University of Colombo, made this remark presenting his research findings on the issue at the Sanvada Seminar of the Pathfinder Foundation, held at the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management on June 9.

The seminar was complemented by a timely and well researched analytical study for the Pathfinder Foundation, the economic think-tank on the Indian tourism market. This study includes a detailed analysis of the current status and characteristics of Indian tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka, and identifies a number of benefits from further promotion.

The seminar was chaired by Professor Rohan Samarajiva, Executive Director of Lirneasia, while Mr. Anura Lokuhetti, President of the Tourists Hotels Association of Sri Lanka and Mr. Hiran Cooray, Chairman of Jetwing made presentations.

According to eminent academic Professor Abeyratne, Sri Lanka attracts only about 1% of over 11 million Indian tourists whose attractive tourist destinations are Singapore, China, Thailand, Hong Kong and USA. These countries attract ‘high income’ and ‘upper-middle income’ tourists, while Sri Lanka caters to the Indian tourists from the ‘lower middle’ income groups.

Indian tourists are different from the Western tourists in terms of tourism interests and purposes, seasonal variation of arrivals, tourist nights spending and, tourism expenses. By identifying the importance of this growing market and its special characteristics, Sri Lanka should create a differentiated tourism product market, adopt simple and clear immigration procedures and develop regional ‘entry points’ by air and sea in the Northern part of Sri Lanka.

In addition, Indian tourism is associated more with business, shopping, and other purposes than with leisure. According to Professor Abeyratne, it is important to create a tourism sector that caters to divergent tourism interests and strengthen economic integration with India.

Mr. Anura Lokuhetti, President of the Tourists Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, elaborated the importance of the growing Indian economy and its middle class who creates an ever-increasing demand for travel and tourism. As India is projected to have over 50 million outbound tourist departures by 2016, given the close proximity Sri Lanka has the potential to become a major tourist destination for Indian tourists.

Mr. Hiran Cooray, Chairman of Jetwing, highlighted the importance of learning how to cater to the Indian tourists as they are a highly diverse group which requires designing differentiated tourism products to cater to all. He also stressed the potentials that Sri Lankan tourism industry possesses to cater the big Indian market, but as at present Sri Lanka caters only to its lower-end tourist market.

Wrapping up the Sanvada Seminar, the Chairperson, Professor Rohan Samarajiva, Chairman of Lirneasia, pointed out the importance of ‘Patel Points’ in USA, UK and many other countries which provide a memorial attraction to the Indian tourists. In Sri Lanka, there is hardly any ‘Patel Point’ that attracts Indian tourism.

The Sanvada Seminar is aimed at studying the importance of Indian tourist arrivals for the tourism development of Sri Lanka with inputs and comments from the resource persons to feed into a policy debate.

The final outcome of the event is to prepare a Policy Brief which will be distributed among the Parliamentarians, policy makers, and other government and non-government agencies in guiding the policy formulation.

The Pathfinder Foundation is conducting this seminar in collaboration with the Centre for Indo – Lanka Studies, interested parties on the studies can contact via phone 2372895 or e-mail to pm@pathfinderfoundation.org

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Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals in April 2011 Up by 66.7pct

13th May 2011, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Tourist arrivals into Sri Lanka rose 66.7 percent to 63,835 in April 2011 from a year ago with sharp increases in visitors from south Asia and the traditional Western European markets. Total arrivals were up 40.4 percent to 278,959 in the four months to April, data from the tourist promotion office showed.

The number of visitors from Western Europe, a key source of revenue to the island's resort hotels, rose 70 percent to 23,226.

The number of arrivals from Germany, long a big market for Sri Lanka, rose 94 percent to 4,114 while those from the United Kingdom, another traditional market, rose 33.5 percent to 9,038.

Arrivals from Scandinavian countries, although small, more than doubled.

Tourists from south Asia also grew strongly mainly driven by Indians whose numbers rose 90 percent to 14,705 in March 2011 from a year ago.

(Image Courtesy: Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority)

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Sri Lanka Tourism Industry to Continue Its Growth Momentum. Impressive Performance in First Quarter 2011

3th May 2011, www.dailynews.lk, By Sanjeevi Jayasuriya

Sri Lanka’s tourist industry recorded an impressive performance in the first quarter of this year and is poised to continue its growth momentum in the coming months too.

“The first quarter industry performance is remarkable and we need to work hard in the next few months as May and June are the lowest yielding months. There could be an occupancy drop as it is summer for Western European countries,” Tourist Hotels Association Sri Lanka President Anura Lokuhetti told Daily News Business.

“The country needs to concentrate on the Middle East market where there is huge potential to attract tourists due to the prevailing hot weather conditions there. The focus should be to promote consumer marketing to generate interest regarding Sri Lanka,” he said.

An effective communication initiative coupled with consumer marketing would encourage tourists from the Middle East. There is a possibility of conducting food festivals through Sri Lankan chefs to create enthusiasm. These efforts would generate sufficient awareness and in return will boost tourist arrivals.

Having road shows in supermarkets will be an effective tool of promotion apart from the personal promotions. We could target not only Middle East, but also expatriates from various other countries. We need to focus more on consumer marketing in the Middle East,” he said.

Middle East tourists could be attracted with a combined effort by Sri Lankan Airlines staff and tourism industry stakeholders as an on going process.

Taking into account this sharp increase, steps have been taken to speed up the process to improve the tourism infrastructure facilities, especially in the hotel sector.

Several investment plans have been already launched in this regard, in association with the International and local tourist hotel companies.

These investments are estimated to be worth US$ 573 million.

There are 99 investment projects under evaluation for this year and so far 27 have been approved to be implemented in Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau(SLTPB) said.

Sri Lanka Tourism officials believe that the Sambuddhathva Jayanthi Celebrations and the International Buddhist Film Festival will attract many religious tourists to Sri Lanka from various Buddhist countries in the world like Japan, China, Korea, Tailand, India, Singapore, Burma and Nepal which are having a strong base of Buddhism.

Tourist arrivals comparison
% change
Month 2010 2011 2010/11
Jan 50,757 74,197 46.2
Feb 57,300 65,797 14.8
Mar 52,352 75,130 43.5
Apr 38,300 63,835 66.7

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Dutch Family Makes 250,000th Tourist Arrival in Sri Lanka for 2010

21st April 2011, www.news360.lk

A Dutch National and his family were into a surprise when they landed at the Bandaranayake International Airport last evening to spend a holiday in Sri Lanka.

Ronke Noordhuis was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Tourism officials by garlanding him and his family, for becoming the 250,000th tourist who arrived in the country during this year.

Sri Lanka Tourism offered a special gift and a complimentary package to Noordhuis keeping its promise of rewarding the 250,000th tourist.

This is the first time Noordhuis who is working as a finance manager in Qatar has visited the country.

He and his wife Inge along with the three sons is expected to visit Negombo, Kandy, Sigiriya, Dambulla, Nuwara Eliya and southern beaches during their ten day stay in the Island.

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Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals in March 2011 Up by 43.5pct

12th April 2011, www.lbr.lk

Sri Lanka's tourism arrivals rose 43.5 percent in March 2011 to 75,130, with steep increases seen from South Asia and several European generating markets, data from the tourist promotion office showed.

March arrivals were the highest ever for a single month since December 2010, when 84,000 visitors came, an official said. Last year Sri Lanka's tourist arrivals rose 46 percent to 654,476 after a 30-year war ended.

Arrivals from Western Europe, a key source of revenue to the country's resort hotels, rose 37.6 percent to 30,003.

Visitors from France rose 105 percent to 5,899, Sweden rose 260 percent to 1,446, Italy rose 78.2 percent to 1,112, The Netherlands rose 74 percent to 1,951 and Germany was up 11.3 percent to 5,904. Britain, the largest western market, was up 3.4 percent to 8,852.

South Asian visitors were up 64.5 percent to 21,063 with India rising 58 percent to 12,613 maintaining its position as the top source of visitors, while Pakistan surged 237.7 percent to 2,067. Maldives rose 48 percent to 4,677.

Australia and New Zealand rose 50 percent to 3,540 and North America was up 16.8 percent to 3,990. Middle East rose 38 percent to 4,067 and East Asia rose 29.3 percent to 7,033.

Chinese arrivals increased 69 percent to 1,361, Japan rose 22.7 percent to 1,525 and Malaysia was also up 22.7 percent to 1,329 and Singapore was up 31.6 percent to 1,198.

In the first quarter, arrivals were up 34.1 percent from a year earlier.

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Sri Lanka Tourism Statistics and Tourist Arrivals

Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals in February 2012 Up by 27pct

Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals in January 2012 Up by 15.7pct

Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals in December 2011 Up by 15.2pct

800,000th Tourist in 2011 to Visit Sri Lanka Welcomed at Bandaranaike International Airport

Tourist Arrivals by Month from 2010 to 2011 - SLTDA

Monthly Statistical Bulletin - SLTDA
Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals by month and Statistics

Annual Statistical Reports - SLTDA
Annual Report that assesses year’s performance.

Sri Lanka Tourism Research and Statistics - SLTDA


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