Sri Lanka is expecting 1.55 million tourists in 2023 led by visitors from India, Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Priyantha Fernando said.
“We are targeting almost 260,000 India arrivals this year,” Fernando told EconomyNext. “With the Chinese traffic opening up of this month there will be further increases.
“We are expecting 1.55 million tourist’s arrivals this year it is quiet promising. We ended with of 102,545 tourists in the month of January 2023.”
In the first week of February 2023, Sri Lanka had received 18,000 tourists, he said.
In 2019, before the Coronavirus crisis hits, Sri Lanka welcomed 1.9 million tourists.
In that year Sri Lanka welcomed 355,002 tourists from India, 198,776 from UK and 167,863 from China.
Indian tourists are expected to spend about 1,850 dollars per person in Sri Lanka, he said.
However, some tourists spend much more, including in the duty free sales, he said.
Authorities had allowed tourists to bring up to 10,000 Indian rupees and spend the money in Sri Lanka he said.
“Definitely that is going to help tourism as well as and now Indians get good value for money 4.70 for 1 rupee,” Fernando said.
Russians who have trouble with Ruble, may also be able to bring Indian rupees, he said.
In December 2022 and January 2023 Russia was a top generation market.
Last December Sri Lanka got 91,961 tourists of which 19,963 was from Russia. In January 2023 out of a total of 102,545 tourists, 25,254 were Russians.
Russia as well as India, Germany and UK are expected to bring most of the tourists to Sri Lanka in 2023, he said.
In 2019 Sri Lanka received 134,899 visitors from Germany, making it the fourth largest generating market, after India, UK and China.
Economy Next
