Tourist arrivals in May likely to surpass 100,000: Analysts

Monday, 27 May 2024 02:48 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

First 21 days draw nearly 80,000 tourists

Despite being a slow month, tourist arrivals are on track to exceed 100,000 by the end of May, industry analysts predict. This influx is set to push the cumulative number of tourists closer to 900,000 for the year.

As of 21 May, a total of 79,431 tourists had arrived, bringing the total for the year to 864,082. The daily average number of tourists was recorded at 3,782.

Analysts said if Sri Lanka maintains the month-to-date daily average during the rest of May, the month would see over 100,000 tourist arrivals despite being off-season. During the last phase of the winter season, Sri Lanka drew over 200,000 tourists per month.

In May so far, the top three markets generating tourists were, India, Maldives and Germany. In addition to these, visitors from the UK, China, Australia, Russia, France, the US and Canada contributed to the month’s arrivals.

On a year-to-date (YTD) basis, India, Russia and the UK have emerged as the leading sources of tourists for Sri Lanka.

“The steady influx of tourists is a positive indicator for the country’s tourism industry, which continues to recover and grow despite facing challenges,” they added.

For 2024, Sri Lanka Tourism expects to draw over 2.3 million visitors and generate an income of over $ 4 billion.