Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals grow by 6.2 percent in May 2018 from a year earlier with increase in Indian and Australian visitors
Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka have recorded a growth of 6.2 percent to 129,466 in May 2018 from a year earlier with strong growth in visitors from India and Australia. Statistics from the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau has also recorded a decline in the number of Chinese visitors.
According to reports, Indian visitors have grown by 23 percent to 34,167, but Maldivian visitors have fallen by 19 percent to 4,343 in the fasting month of Ramadan.
Chinese visitors have fallen by 7.5 percent to 17,103. However, up to May 2018, 149,197 Chinese visitors have arrived in the island, which is an increase from 117,539 last year.
Tourist arrivals from the UK have grown by 9.6 percent to 9,337, while visitors from Germany have increased by 8.7 percent t 6,906.
Arrivals from Australia have increased by 28 percent to 4,873, after state-run SriLankan Airlines commenced direct flights.
Japanese visitors have also increased by 48.5 percent to 4,229 and tourists from the US have also grown by 24 percent to 4,123.
In the first five months of the year 1,017,819 tourists have arrived in Sri Lanka, which is a 14.7 percent increase from last year.
OSL take:
The statistics of tourist arrivals to the country in May 2018 is a further indication of the continuous growth in Sri Lanka’s tourism sector. The increase in the number of tourists from Australia is an encouraging sign since it is a new market for Sri Lanka. Also, the increase in the number of Japanese and American visitors to Sri Lanka is an encouraging sign for the country’s tourism sector. Therefore, it would be an opportune moment for foreign businesses/investors to look at opportunities available in Sri Lanka’s tourism sector.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20180611/Z_3 |