Sri Lanka welcomes over 1.9 m tourists, eyes record-breaking year
- 5opn1
- December 16, 2024
- Travel and Tourism
- eyes record-breaking year, Sri Lanka welcomes over 1.9 m tourists
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Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam on Saturday said the sector is on track to end 2024 on a high, with year-to-date (YTD) arrivals crossing 1.9 million and over 70,000 tourists registered in the first half of December.
Speaking on the industry’s resurgence, he expressed optimism that the country could welcome over 250,000 visitors this month, pushing the annual total to an estimated 2.2 million.
Hewawasam said if achieved, this would mark the highest annual arrivals since the 2018 benchmark year, which drew a record-breaking 2.33 million visitors.
“We have maintained around 21% year-on-year (YoY) growth so far and are confident of surpassing 2 million arrivals,” he opined, attributing the boost to policy changes under the new administration. These included the removal of visa restrictions and efforts to create a harmonious environment for travellers.
