Sri Lanka Aims for 2.3 Million Tourists in 2024
To promote tourism internationally, Sri Lanka is leveraging social media influencers, and domestic events are planned in popular tourist destinations.
Sri Lanka aims to attract 2.3 million tourists in 2024, with major contributions expected from key markets such as India, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and Germany, according to Priyantha Fernando, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).
The primary focus is on India, targeting 310,000 to 343,000 tourists, while Russia, China, the UK, and Germany are expected to bring in significant numbers, with targets set at 258,000, 251,000, 193,000, and 151,000 tourists, respectively.
To promote tourism internationally, Sri Lanka is leveraging social media influencers, and domestic events are planned in popular tourist destinations. Festivals in areas like Weligama and Unawatuna, including a Baila festival near the Galle Literary Festival, are among the events designed to attract visitors.
While the 2023 target of 1.55 million arrivals may fall slightly short, Sri Lanka has seen positive growth, welcoming 1,243,052 tourists up to November 2023, compared to 719,978 in the entirety of 2022, when the country faced a currency crisis. India emerged as the top-generating market, contributing 251,497 arrivals by November 2023. However, delays in approving charter flights in December 2023 affected Russian tourists.
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