Sri Lanka’s tourism sector is showing signs of revival as tourist arrivals surpass 60,000 in the first week of February, indicating growing interest in the island destination.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority’s provisional data revealed that within the initial eight days of February, the country welcomed a total of 60,122 tourists. This figure represents a significant increase compared to the same period last year, with arrivals reaching about 55 percent of the total for February 2023.
Moreover, the daily average of arrivals has risen to 7,500, marking an uptick from the 6,000-6,500 range recorded in January. Leading the pack in February’s arrivals is the Russian Federation, contributing 15 percent of the total influx of tourists, followed closely by India at 14 percent and the United Kingdom at 9 percent.
The cumulative arrivals for the period spanning January 1 to February 8 have reached 268,375, reflecting a promising start to the year for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. With ambitious goals set for 2024, aiming to attract 2.3 million tourists and generate a revenue of US $4 billion, Sri Lanka anticipates continued growth and recovery in its tourism sector.
