Despite a troubled first half, tourism recovery in Sri Lanka has progressed rapidly and the country has earned USD 1.1 billion in tourism receipts in first 11 months of the ongoing year.

Latest report released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka says that Sri Lanka has earned USD 1129.4 million from the tourism industry during the 11 months from January to November, 2022, an impressive surge buoyed by the resumption in international flights and easing of curbs related to the coronavirus.

The report by the bank says that the recovery has accelerated each passing month and in November alone, Sri Lanka has earned an income of USD 107.5 million through the tourism industry. By contrast, in October this year Sri Lanka’s tourism earnings stood at USD 75.6 million in comparison to USD 54 million in September 2022.

Sri Lanka welcomed 59,759 tourists to the country in November, which is a 42 pc rise compared to the previous month, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka said in a statement. Overall, 6,28,017 tourists have arrived in the country in the first eleven months of the year, the report said.

The daily average of tourist arrivals in November was 1,991 which is a significant increase compared to the daily arrival of 1355 tourists in October, the bank says.

Compared to the corresponding period a year ago, the growth has been highly impressive as it reflects almost six-fold rise in both tourist arrivals and the tourism receipts, says the central bank. During the 11 months from January to November 2021, 104,989 tourists had come to Sri Lanka, and the income earned by Sri Lanka from tourism industry was USD 273.6 million.

The tourism sector is the main source of foreign exchange earnings in the country.

However, the onset of the pandemic in 2020 severely crippled this sector, and one of the major reasons for Sri Lanka’s economic travails.