Sri Lanka’s tourism sector has reached a significant milestone, surpassing 1.7 million arrivals so far in 2024. Over 100,000 visitors were welcomed during the first 17 days of November, showing strong momentum as the year-end holiday season approaches.
From November 1-17, Sri Lanka saw 103,315 tourist arrivals, pushing the year-to-date (YTD) total to over 1.72 million. The daily average stood at 6,077 visitors, with industry leaders confident that the revised target of 2 million visitors will be exceeded by the end of the year. This optimism is fueled by the surge in arrivals during November and enhanced airline connectivity.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has forecasted 198,069 arrivals for November, driven by strong demand during the winter season. India leads the charge in tourist arrivals, with 23,660 visitors in the first half of November, followed by Russia (16,602) and Germany (7,776). YTD, India remains the top source market, with 346,633 arrivals, while Russia has overtaken the UK with 154,201 visitors.
Industry analysts remain upbeat about the sector’s growth, citing the resumption of charter flights from Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia as key factors behind the recent uptick. Despite challenges earlier in the year, including disruptions in visa processing between April and September 2024, Sri Lanka’s tourism sector has shown resilience.
Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman, Buddhika Hewawasam, expressed optimism about meeting the revised 2 million target despite the visa processing setback. “Although the original target of 2.3 million tourists may not be feasible, we are confident that we will surpass 2 million arrivals,” he told the Daily FT. The remarkable recovery since September has reinforced this belief.
A key contributor to the sector’s success is the improved air connectivity. The return of charter flights and increased frequencies from major carriers, especially from Eastern Europe, has been vital in driving tourist numbers. The winter season is expected to further boost these figures, particularly after Sri Lanka was named the “Most Desirable Island” for tourists by the UK’s leading travel magazine, Wanderlust.
Looking ahead, Sri Lanka Tourism plans to leverage its year-round appeal through a national branding campaign set to launch in January 2025. The sector will focus on capitalizing on its momentum with targeted marketing campaigns and enhanced infrastructure to cater to the growing demand.
While the sector is set for a strong finish to 2024, industry leaders continue to acknowledge the challenges in processes, ease of doing business, and safety concerns, emphasizing the need for improvements to avoid future disruptions.