Kandy is a key destination for tourists to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka received a total of 2.05 million international visitors in the year 2024, a growth of 38 pc as compared with the 1.49 million international visitors that travelled to the country in 2023. According to data released by Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), the total arrivals in 2024 were the highest in the country since 2018.
In a press statement, SLTDA says that throughout 2024, Sri Lanka experienced a notable increase in tourist arrivals from India, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, solidifying these nations as the top five international visitor markets.
It says that there was also a significant growth in visitor numbers from the Netherlands and France, reflecting Sri Lanka’s rising popularity in these regions.
According to SLTDA, almost 417,000 Indians visited the country in 2024, up from 303,000 in the previous year, reflecting a growth of 38 pc and giving India a lion’s share of 20.3 pc in total international arrivals in the year. Incidentally, despite the sharp growth in overall tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka, India has retained its total marketshare, which was also an identical 20.3 pc in 2023.
Russia contributed to nearly 202,000 visitors, a marginal growth from about 197,000 in 2023, while the British arrivals soared to over 178,000, a 37 pc rise over the 130,000 British who had travelled to Sri Lanka in 2023.
China also registered a strong growth in the year, with the number of Chinese visitors rising by 79 pc from nearly 74,000 in 2023 to almost 132,000 last year, says SLTDA.
SLTDA says that Sri Lanka closed off 2024 with a positive look towards the future of its tourism industry as in December, 248,592 tourists were received, which is a 35 pc increase compared to November as well as a 18.18 pc boost compared to December of 2023.
It says that the arrival of over 2.05 million visitors in the year is an indication of the fact that the industry is recovering steadily. Such growth is indicative of the ongoing tourism strategies and position Sri Lanka well to market it as a tourism hub. Incidentally, the Sri Lankan government has set an ambitious target of a record 3 million international visitors for the year 2025.