Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is off to a promising start in 2024, with February arrivals exceeding all post-pandemic records and pushing the cumulative figure for the year past the 426,000 mark.
Record-breaking February: February saw a significant surge in tourist arrivals, reaching a new high of 218,350. This surpasses the previous record of 210,352 set in December 2020 and marks the third consecutive month with over 200,000 arrivals. Year-on-year growth also saw a significant increase of 103%, driven by factors like favorable winter travel seasons, improved airline connectivity, and growing tourist confidence.
Positive Momentum: Despite falling slightly short of the ambitious target of 238,614 for February, the overall performance paints a positive picture. Tourist Minister Harin Fernando expressed optimism, highlighting the estimated earnings of over $710 million for the first two months and expecting a potential record-breaking year for the industry. The daily arrival average also increased in February, with 7,529 tourists compared to 6,717 in January.
Source Markets and Ambitious Goals: Russia emerged as the top source market in February with over 32,000 arrivals, followed by India, the UK, Germany, and China. India maintains the top spot for the year so far, with over 64,000 arrivals. Looking ahead, Sri Lanka’s ambitious target aims to welcome 2.3 million tourists and generate over $4.5 billion in revenue for 2024.
Challenges and Opportunities: While the current performance is encouraging, there is still room for improvement. February fell short of the set target, and the total arrival figure remains 7.3% lower than the pre-pandemic benchmark of 2018. Nevertheless, the strong start to the year indicates a positive trend for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, and with continued efforts in promoting the country and addressing challenges, the ambitious goals for 2024 may be achievable.