Lanka to witness best year of tourism with 2.4 Mn arrivals: USD 4 Bn revenue

Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Chalaka Gajabahu, anticipates a historic year for Sri Lanka’s tourism, surpassing 2.4 million arrivals and generating a record-breaking revenue exceeding USD 4 billion. Speaking at the Galle Concerto 2024 tourism festivals, Gajabahu outlined ambitious targets for 2029, aiming to attract 5 million arrivals, with 2.5 million being high-spending up-market tourists contributing over USD 500 million per day.

The positive momentum at the start of 2024 is evident, with 101,362 arrivals in the first half of January. Notably, the Russian Federation, contributing 16,263 arrivals, remains a key market, constituting 16% of the total. Gajabahu emphasized the crucial role of the recovering Chinese outbound tourism, projecting a surpass of the 250,000 mark this year, supported by increased flight frequencies announced by Colombo-bound Chinese airlines. From Colombo, visitors usually head for the coasts or the hills, where there are plenty of things to do in Kandy. Taking up accommodation at properties such as Cinnamon Citadel Kandy gives visitors the freedom to explore the hills to their satisfaction.