Survey reveals:

Sri Lanka main destination for many

Over 80 percent of the tourists who visited the country last year regard Sri Lanka as their main destination, revealed a survey on `Tourism performance in 2008’ by the Research and International Relations Division of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. A majority of the visitors were delighted with their stay in Sri Lanka and have shown interest in visiting the country again, the report stated.

A majority of the respondents expressed satisfaction over hotel accommodation facilities and services offered at the airport. Preference for sun and beaches have been top in the agenda for many while others preferred visiting cultural and religious places, adventure and shopping.

The tropical nature of the country has been the main influencing factor to many visitors.

The main purpose for around 80 percent of the tourists in visiting the country was for a holiday while many others were interested in doing business.

Sri Lanka’s top ten markets have been India, UK, Germany, France, USA, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Russia and the Maldives.

The forecast for this year for Sri Lankan tourism is gloomy due to the decline in global tourist arrivals.

Tourist arrivals last year slumped by 11.2 percent to 438,000 last year from 494,008 in the previous year due to the unfavourable conditions that prevailed locally and globally.

Foreign exchange received per tourist a day decreased to US $ 76.7 last year from US$ 79.1 in the previous year.

Asia continued to be the largest source of tourism to Sri Lanka for the second consecutive year accounting for 39 percent of the total number of arrivals.

India maintained its position as the leading market for Sri Lanka with 85,238 arrivals accounting for 19.4 percent of the total number of arrivals.

The survey further states that according to a United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) panel of experts, growth prospects for world tourism this year is bleak due to the impact of the global recession.

Tourist arrivals across the world is expected to drop by around two percent this year.

The Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with stakeholders of the industry have taken steps to promote tourism and regain the country’s status as an ideal destination.

The re-branding of Sri Lanka tourism is expected to have a major impact on developing the industry.

The survey was carried out on 3,013 tourists and 1,433 transit passengers from September 2008 to February 2009.

LF