January tourist arrivals up 13% despite partial airport closure

• China gains top spot with 31,802 tourists
• India pushed to second place with 31,173 tourists
• Tourists from Eastern Europe up 16.7%

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka this January grew by 12.9 percent year-on-year (YoY) to 219,360, despite the country’s main airport in Katunayake being closed for a considerable period of time.
However, the growth of tourism arrivals has fallen down significantly. Except for between 2014 and 2015, the YoY arrivals growth for the month of January had not fallen below 24 percent since 2012. 
Yet, growth has nonetheless been on a declining trend due to high base figures and a lack of promotion campaigns.
For January, East Asia was the second largest regional market with 48,773 arrivals, growing at 25.7 percent YoY. China accounted for 31,802 tourists of the total, growing at 21.9 percent YoY, beating India to the top spot ahead of the Chinese New Year. Arrivals from Japan increased 28.5 percent YoY to 4,026 tourists.
Arrivals from the South Asian region increased 2.4 percent YoY to reach 41,470 arrivals. India was pushed down to second place with 31,173 arrivals, growing at 7.9 percent YoY. The Maldivian market contracted 18 percent YoY to 5,662 tourists.

Western Europe remained the largest regional market with 72,500 visitors, growing at 13.8 percent YoY. British arrivals increased 19.8 percent YoY to 19,468 tourists, while German arrivals fell 2.3 percent YoY to 12,471 tourists, and French arrivals increased 8 percent YoY to 10,666 tourists.
Swedish, Dutch and Italian tourist arrivals also grew strongly, with each market bringing in over 4,400 tourists.
Arrivals from Eastern European countries increased 16.7 percent YoY to 26,540 tourists, with Russia, whose economy is on track for a recovery despite economic sanctions, contributing with 10,337 tourists, growing at 23.7 percent YoY. Ukrainian arrivals too increased 24.5 percent YoY with 5,806 visitors.
North America overtook the Middle Eastern market this January, with 10,521 arrivals growing at a pace of 14.9 percent YoY. Tourists from the US increased 19.7 percent to 6,155, while Canadian arrivals increased 8.7 percent YoY to 4,366 tourists.
Arrivals from the Middle East fell 11.5 percent YoY to 8,948 tourists, with Saudi Arabia, the largest market in the region, contracting 17 percent YoY to reach 3,163 arrivals.
The Australasian market grew 15.6 percent YoY attracting 8,961 tourists, with most of the growth and arrivals contributed by Australia.