Marked increase in arrivals from Latin America and Caribbean region

Latin America and the Caribbean region recorded the highest growth percentage in tourist arrivals during the first three months this year although the number of visitors was low compared to other regions. The number of arrivals from the region was up 67.4 to 549 compared to 328 recorded during the corresponding period last year.

The number of arrivals from the Latin American and the Caribbean region has shown a marked increase with arrivals rising from 94 during March 2011 to 119 in March this year.

The number of tourist arrivals from Eastern Europe recorded a 46.8 growth with 22, 602 visitors during the first three months this year compared to 15, 393 recorded during the corresponding period last year.

Arrivals from Eastern Europe increased 59.3 percent to 7,882 in March this year compared to 4,948 recorded in the corresponding month last year.

Arrivals from Russia recorded a sharp increase with 63.4 percent to 8,786 compared to 5,377 in 2011. Meanwhile visitors from the Australasia Continent (Australia, New Zealand) had risen by 9.9 percent from 9,896 to 10,877.

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka during the first quarter this year rose 21.1 percent to 260,525 compared to 215,124 during the corresponding period last year, Sri Lanka Tourism data showed.

The number of tourist arrivals in March this year increased 91,102 rising by 21.3 percent compared to 75,130 in March 2011.

Visitors from Western Europe comprising the United Kingdom (UK), Germany, France, The Netherlands increased by 23.3 percent to 115,547 compared to 93,722 in the first three months of last year. UK recorded the highest number of visitors rising from 27,984 to 28,940 up 3.4 percent in first three months whilst visitors from Germany rose by 26.3 percent to 21,241. Tourists from France were up 13.6 percent to 17, 538 compared to 15,436 in the first three months last year.

Visitors from the Middle East increased from 9,426 to 11,711 up 24.2 percent this year while tourists from East Asia comprising China increased from 21,262 to 29,738 up 39.9 percent during the first quarter this year.

Sri Lanka Tourism Research Division sources said that tourist arrivals will top 950,000 this year if the current trend continues.

The number of arrivals last year were 8, 55, 975. Sri Lanka Tourism expects a marked increase in tourist arrivals this year due to the Visit Sri Lanka campaign which comprises 12 themes for each month.