Sri Lanka 2011, December tourist arrivals hit record
Saturday, 7 January 2012
COLOMBO, Jan 6 (Reuters): Sri Lanka's tourist arrivals hit a record high in December and for 2011 as the island-nation attracted more visitors from across the world, largely high-spending Europe tourists, the government data showed Friday.
Arrivals have climbed every month on a year-on-year basis since a 25-year civil war ended in May 2009.
Tourist arrivals in December hit a monthly record of 97,517, up 15.2 per cent from a year earlier, surpassing the island nation's previous monthly peak of 90,889 in November.
Arrivals in 2011 jumped 30.8 per cent to 855,975 from a year earlier, higher than Sri Lanka's previous record of 654,476 in 2010.
The government is targeting annual revenue of $2.75 billion by 2016 from 2.5 million expected visitors attracted by Sri Lanka's beaches, hills and religious and historic sites, while aiming for $3 billion in foreign direct investment.
Tourists from Western Europe jumped 22.7 per cent to 315,210, accounting for 37 per cent of the total tourists, while visitors from South Asia jumped 35.3 per cent to 237,647, accounting for 28 per cent of the total.
The total arrivals are well beyond the 2011 estimate of more than 780,000. The tourism board expects 950,000 tourists in 2012 with a revenue of more than $1 billion, more than 20 per cent from last year's estimated $800 million.
Last year, arrivals grew by 46 per cent. The island's tourism industry drew $1.2 billion for investment in the first half of 2011.
Tourism revenue, which jumped 64.8 per cent in 2010 to a record $575.9 million, has risen 46.7 per cent in the first 11 months of 2011 from a year earlier to $735.7 million, central bank data shows.
Arrivals have climbed every month on a year-on-year basis since a 25-year civil war ended in May 2009.
Tourist arrivals in December hit a monthly record of 97,517, up 15.2 per cent from a year earlier, surpassing the island nation's previous monthly peak of 90,889 in November.
Arrivals in 2011 jumped 30.8 per cent to 855,975 from a year earlier, higher than Sri Lanka's previous record of 654,476 in 2010.
The government is targeting annual revenue of $2.75 billion by 2016 from 2.5 million expected visitors attracted by Sri Lanka's beaches, hills and religious and historic sites, while aiming for $3 billion in foreign direct investment.
Tourists from Western Europe jumped 22.7 per cent to 315,210, accounting for 37 per cent of the total tourists, while visitors from South Asia jumped 35.3 per cent to 237,647, accounting for 28 per cent of the total.
The total arrivals are well beyond the 2011 estimate of more than 780,000. The tourism board expects 950,000 tourists in 2012 with a revenue of more than $1 billion, more than 20 per cent from last year's estimated $800 million.
Last year, arrivals grew by 46 per cent. The island's tourism industry drew $1.2 billion for investment in the first half of 2011.
Tourism revenue, which jumped 64.8 per cent in 2010 to a record $575.9 million, has risen 46.7 per cent in the first 11 months of 2011 from a year earlier to $735.7 million, central bank data shows.