May tourist arrivals up by 39%

10 June 2011 07:45 am - 11 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Sri Lanka's tourist arrivals rose 39 percent in May from a year earlier as the island attracts more foreign visitors after the end of its long civil war.

Arrivals have risen every month on a year-on-year basis since the end of the war in May 2009.

The number of visitors in May hit 48,943 from 35,213 a year ago and arrivals in the first five months of 2011 have jumped 40.2 percent to 327,902.

Arrivals hit a record high of 654,476 in 2010 with a 46.1 percent year-on-year rise and broke the previous record of 566,202 set in 2004, when a peace accord between the government and the separatist Tamil Tigers was in place.

Tourist arrivals into Sri Lanka are forecast to grow by 20 percent to a record of more than 780,000 this year.

Tourism revenue rose 54.7 percent in first four months of this year to $270.6 million compared to the corresponding period last year after jumping 64.8 percent year-on-year to a record $575.9 million in 2010, the central bank's latest data showed.

The following table shows tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka: 2011 2010 Change (in %)

May 48,943 35,213 39.0%

Jan-May 327,902 233,922 40.2%

* Sri Lanka aims to attract $2.7 billion in investments to upgrade its post-war tourism capacity, with the goal of growing revenue to $2.5 billion by 2016.

* The hotel and travel index on the Colombo Stock Exchange has risen nearly fourfold since the end of the war.

* Tourism is one of the main foreign exchange earners for Sri Lanka's $50 billion economy along with remittances from abroad, garments and tea.

* Sri Lanka, through its 2011 budget, has imposed a tax of $20 per room night on five-star hotels if they fail to charge a minimum rate of $125. ($1=109.465 Sri Lankan rupee) (REUTERS)

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Comments - 11

Kamal Saturday, 11 June 2011 04:32 AM

That because people like you still trying to bring back LTTE from overseas

Silva Saturday, 11 June 2011 05:44 AM

What is the average no of Nights stay and how many come on Complimentry Visit.. Then the answer to the income will known.

ranil Friday, 10 June 2011 08:01 AM

Though the tourist arrival is up is the country gaining anything from this. They get here on package some are on promotions and the revenue they contribute to the country is next to nothing.

Rosh Friday, 10 June 2011 08:04 AM

Please tell me what is there to see in Sri Lanka.The tourist Board is doing nothing.

unl Friday, 10 June 2011 08:09 AM

Spoken like real RW.

Bumba Friday, 10 June 2011 08:11 AM

The figure is roughly 1000 tourist a day. What is the income such a number of tourist. No wonder the hotel are empty.

asanka Friday, 10 June 2011 08:53 AM

another RW, remember they will stay few days in Sri Lanka Poor mathematics

UK TAMIL BOY Friday, 10 June 2011 09:19 AM

STILL EMERGENCY LOW ACT. BUT SAYING NO LTTE....?...!

Bumba Friday, 10 June 2011 09:30 AM

A good number of this is businessman from China and India. They are coming to take whatever money we make.

kanda Friday, 10 June 2011 04:47 PM

he just ask it ......wonder what is going on....

Fayad Friday, 10 June 2011 09:48 AM

why Tamils are negative towards sri lanka ???

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May tourist arrivals up by 39%

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