Sri Lanka attracted 830,693 tourist arrivals up to May 10, 2024 with India being the top source destination with 133,972. There were 46,042 arrivals from May 1 to 10 with India accounting for 10,389 which is 23%of the total arrivals.
The Russian Federation was in second place with 108,823m, the United Kingdom (75,081) and Germany (60,245) fourth. The Chinese market which the two were sourcing destinations for Sri Lana during the pre COVID period is still to take off, laying in the fifth place with 50,886 visitors.
Sri Lanka received a huge marketing boost to the Chinese market when a video of a young Sri Lankan boy (17-year-old Dilip Madushanka from Kotmale) selling flowers went viral on social media with around 150 million views. This clip was especially popular among Chinese viewers.
With the free visa arrivals policy back for seven countries and the minimum room rate being taken off from Colombo City hotels making it more affordable for tourists to stay in the City of Colombo and the new tourism marketing campaign in place Sri Lanka is expected to touch the 2.4 million arrival mark this year which would be an all time best.
Tourism receipts have generated USD 1,251.6 million to Sri Lanka from 2024 January to April which is an 91.9% increase against the corresponding period in 2023. (USD 652.2 mn.) (SS)
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