Sri Lanka is seen as the new Maldives by many Indians
India Today: Picking the right travel destination for a memorable getaway is no easy task. We must tell you that your fellow Indians are travelling to Sri Lanka and so should you.
Sri Lanka recently surpassed the Maldives (desi people’s favourite travel destination once upon a time) in terms of footfall from India.
Looks like Indian tourists have been heading to Sri Lanka after the diplomatic row between India and Maldives as they still seem furious about the comments by a few Maldivian ministers against Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his Lakshadweep visit.
A report by the Male-based news outlet Adhadhu states that for the past four years, the tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka lagged behind the Maldives. But in January 2024, Sri Lanka surpassed the Maldives.
The publication shared that a massive surge in Indian tourists visiting Sri Lanka is one of the reasons behind the increase in tourist arrivals.
In January 2023, 13,759 Indians visited Sri Lanka.
In January 2024, the number jumped 2.5 times to 34,399.
With this influx, Maldives has recorded a significant drop.
Around 17,029 Indians went to the Maldives in January 2023.
In January 2024, only 15,006 Indians visited the Maldives.
India also emerged as the top source of tourists to Sri Lanka in January this year.
Top five tourist markets for Sri Lanka in January 2024
India – 34,399
Russia – 31,159
UK – 16,665
Germany – 13,593
China – 11,511
Top five tourist markets for Maldives in January 2024
Russia – 20,113
China – 19,895
Italy – 19,542
UK – 16,013
India – 15,006
Well, now you know that Indians are going gaga over Sri Lanka. So, here’s everything you need to know about visiting this country.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is on a steady growth path while becoming a key revenue generator for the country. Indian tourists are currently topping the list of foreign holiday makers to Sri Lanka. Local tourism authorities are therefore engaged in promoting targeted tourism concepts including the new Ramayana trail that link India and Sri Lanka. The increase in tourist arrivals to the country has resulted in the expansion in business/investment opportunities in the development of infrastructure facilities and supplementary infrastructure facilities required to meet the growing demand. There are also expanding opportunities in the leisure and hospitality sectors. The growing business potential in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry has already attracted many international leisure and hospitality brands to enter Sri Lanka. Foreign businesses/investors could therefore explore the expanding opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20240219/Z_4 |