Tourism and Lands Ministry Secretary, Somarathne Vidanapathirana stated that 1,095,675 tourists have arrived in Sri Lanka as of July 15, 2024. He expressed optimism that the country could surpass its 2018 tourism peak, achieved post-war, if current trends continue.
He highlighted the significant setbacks the tourism industry faced due to the Easter attacks, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the economic crisis. However, he noted that the concerted efforts of the Tourism Ministry and its affiliated institutions have led to a promising recovery.
Addressing the press briefing titled ‘Two Years of Progress and Advancement’ held at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) on Thursday (25), Tourism and Lands Ministry Secretary, Somarathne Vidanapathirana also stated: “Two years ago, the tourism industry in Sri Lanka was struggling, impacted heavily by the Easter attacks, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the economic crisis. However, I am pleased to report that the Tourism Ministry and its affiliated institutions are currently achieving successful results through a coordinated programme.
“Accordingly, in 2022, 719,978 tourists visited Sri Lanka, and the number rose to 1,487,303 in 2023. By July 15, 2024, Sri Lanka had already welcomed 1,095,675 tourists. This trend suggests that the number of visitors by the end of the year could surpass the totals of the past two years.
The tourism sector in Sri Lanka reached its peak in 2018, with 2,333,796 visitors and US$ 4.4 billion in revenue. If the current positive trend continues, the number of foreign tourists and the income generated by the end of 2024 could exceed those of 2018.”
Deputy Director (Planning) of Department of National Zoological Gardens, H. G. Jayasekara: “In 2022 and 2023, the total number of local tourists to Sri Lanka’s botanical gardens reached 1,773,048 and 1,925,129, respectively. Among these, foreign tourists numbered 103,322 in 2022 and 227,729 in 2023. Notably, the arrival of local tourists increased by 148% in 2022 and by 9% in 2023 compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, foreign tourist arrivals surged by 461% in 2022 and 120% in 2023.
“By June 2024, the botanical gardens welcomed 965,468 local tourists and 183,674 foreign tourists. This represents a 96% increase in foreign tourist visits compared to the same period last year.
Accordingly, the revenue from Sri Lanka’s botanical gardens was Rs.420.02 million in 2022 and rose to Rs.901.1 million in 2023. By June 2024, the gardens had already generated Rs.735.56 million.”
Deputy Director General of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), P. U. Rathnayake: “In 2018, 2,333,796 tourists have arrived Sri Lanka. Starting in 2023, there has been a significant resurgence in tourist arrivals. By the end of 2023, the number of tourists had increased to 1,487,303. As of July 15, 2024, this number reached 1,095,675, indicating a strong upward trend. Additionally, tourism revenue from January to June 2024 amounted to nearly US$ 1,556.64 million.”
Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) Chairman, Chalaka D. Gajabahu: “Over the past two years, the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau has successfully executed numerous programmes. Notably, the ‘Seeing is Believing’ project, launched by the Public Relations Division, hosted 189 international travel bloggers and communicators, resulting in media coverage valued at over Rs. one billion.
The Marketing Division also utilised 15 major travel fairs and 29 road shows, including ITB in Germany, WTM in London, ATM in Dubai, IFTM in France, and SATTE in India to promote tourism.”
General Manager of Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB), Krishantha Fernando: “Over the past two years, the Marketing Division has achieved several key milestones. Notably, the MICE classification was incorporated into the e-visa application system to better identify MICE tourists, and two successful phases of the MICE Expo were organised in Colombo and Jaffna.”
The post Over 1 Mn tourist arrivals by July 15 appeared first on DailyNews.