Tourism off to a good start in 2011 with arrivals up 46% in January

By Cheranka Mendis

Sri Lanka tourism has got off to a good start in 2011 with arrivals up by 46% in January.

As per latest date released, there had been 74,197 tourists in January and the number is viewed as significant given the fact that global travel faced some shocks owing to snowstorms in the European continent.

The high 46% growth is on top of 46% increase Sri Lanka enjoyed in 2010 when tourist arrivals hit a record 650,000. In January 2010 arrivals rose by 32% over the corresponding month of 2009.

“The January arrivals second only to the December figure of 2010, which was known as a peak month in tourism, is a good sign for the industry,”President of Colombo City Tourist Hotels Association M. Shanthikumar told the Daily FT.  According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority statistics the highest number was recorded from the neighboring India, leading the figures with 13, 786, a 50 per cent increase since 2010 January. UK, as expected produced the second largest number; a 9,518 with a 15.7 per cent increase followed by Germany with a 24 per cent increase 5,543 tourists.

Region-wise, the Western Europe brought in 32, 627 tourists, a 53 per cent increase from the corresponding year followed by South Asia with 17, 900 tourists, and East Asia with 7, 269. The biggest improvement in arrivals, when compared with 2010 January was from Denmark which recorded a 446.9 per cent increase with the number of arrivals growing from 228 in January 2010 to 1, 247.

Shanthikumar stated that despite the weather problems which caused a temporary trepidation in local occupancy rates and arrivals, reservations materialised within the last few weeks of the month.  According to him currently Colombo city hotels are experiencing a 80 per cent occupancy but would rise to a 90 per cent closer to World Cup matches.

The first match to be played in Sri Lanka is scheduled to be held on February 20 with Sri Lanka playing host to Canada.

“Average room rates in five star hotels are USD 125 while a four star hotel average rate is USD 108,” Shanthikumar said. The rates will be increased by USD 20 to 30, added. As at now Sri Lanka has 4000 hotel rooms including small scale boutique hotels with an additional 16,000 which is registered under classified and 5000 as unclassified.

This would certainly boost the already blooming tourism industry of Sri Lanka, he expressed. Arrival numbers would increase almost by double of what was achieved in February 2010. In 2009, the tourist arrivals for the month of February was 57, 300 persons.