Tourism off to a good start in 2013

The tourism industry has got off to a good start in 2013, with January producing 13.4% growth in arrivals from a high base over the corresponding month of the previous year.

Sri Lanka Tourism said 97,411 tourists arrived in January 2013, up from 85,874 a year earlier. In January 2012, the growth over the same month of 2011 was 15.7%. January marked the 45th straight month of growth, a phenomenon linked to the post-war rebound in tourism sector even though the industry remains sceptical about the accuracy of the data.

Being the thick of the winter season, tourist arrivals from Western Europe were up 13.7% to 41,484 with several traditional markets producing double digit growth. Arrivals from UK were up by 25%, Germany up by 13.6% and France by 16%.

Arrivals from South Asia, ranking second, grew by 15.5% to 22,191. The Indian market was subdued with 7% growth in January. Tourists from East Asian region grew by 7.6% to 10,039 with China and Indonesia producing double digit growth and Japan up 10%.

In emerging markets, Eastern Europe tourists rose by 18% to 8,083 whilst the Middle East by 3% to 4,077. Arrivals from Australiasia rose by 32% to 5,562 and while arrivals from North America grew by 5% to 5,428.

Arrivals hit a record high of over one million last year with annual revenue from tourism also jumping to an all-time peak of $ 1.04 billion, exceeding to Government estimates. Target for 2013 is 1.25 million tourists.