Sri Lanka Tourism has expressed growing optimism for the industry’s future, driven by impressive visitor numbers and significant growth in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector. Year-to-date (YTD) visitor figures have crossed 1.2 million, with expectations to reach 2.3 million by the end of 2024. Tourism officials are confident that, given the robust performance so far and the favourable conditions expected in the upcoming winter season, Sri Lanka is on track for a strong year-end finish.
International visitor arrivals in September 2024 reached 122,140, reflecting a 9.11% increase compared to the same period in 2023. This brings the total visitor count to 1.485 million for the year, nearly matching the entire total for 2023, which stood at 1.487 million. The UK remains the second-largest source market, contributing 136,463 visitors year-to-date.
Tourism earnings in the first half of 2024 surpassed the $1.5 billion mark, making the sector the third-largest source of foreign exchange for Sri Lanka. Industry experts predict that tourism could become the country’s second-largest foreign exchange earner by the end of the year. The December forecast points to high hotel occupancy rates, with projections of up to 80% across key regions. Looking ahead, Sri Lanka Tourism has set an ambitious goal of welcoming 3 million visitors in 2025 and 5 million by 2030.
In October, Sri Lanka Tourism launched its first large-scale promotional campaign in over two decades, targeting five key markets: India, China, the UK, Germany, and France. The second phase of the campaign, commencing in 2025, will expand to seven emerging or high-potential markets, including Russia, Australia, the Middle East, Japan, Korea, Italy, Poland, Scandinavia, and Benelux, with an additional investment of Rs. 1.2 billion. Funding has been sourced from the Tourism Development Levy (TDL) and the Embarkation Levy (EL). The campaign promotes Sri Lanka under the new brand identity, “Sri Lanka: You will come back for more,” highlighting that over 30% of tourists to Sri Lanka are repeat visitors.
.The new government’s vision for tourism emphasises sustainable development, cultural enrichment, and eco-tourism, with a focus on harnessing the country’s diverse tourism assets and offerings. “The increasing appeal of Sri Lanka as a most sought-after travel destination is its unique travel experiences, our stunning landscape and also a strong forward-thinking strategy that places sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our future growth” said Mr. Buddhika Hewawasam, the newly appointed Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.
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