COLOMBO, July 30- Sri Lanka’s tourism watchdog has downgraded tourist arrival target for 2013 in what could be the first time that the industry fails to meet expectations since the end of a three-decade conflict in 2009.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) downgraded the initial estimated figure of 1.25 million to 1.1 million visitors, Xinhua news agency reported.
SLTDA director general D S Jayaweera said given the arrivals during the first six months of the year, the country is likely to attract 1.1 million tourists by the end of December.
“Tourist arrivals have increased drastically over the past four years,” Jayaweera said.
“Last year, the country recorded just over one million arrivals whereas during the last six months, we have attracted almost 500,000. My own forecast is 1.1 million for the year.”
Jayaweera said average growth rate is likely to be around 28 per cent.
Chinese tourist arrivals have increased an average of 72 per cent over the last six months compared to the same period last year.
On a cumulative basis, earnings from tourism during the first five months of 2013 recorded a growth of 21.9 per cent to US$484.3 million over last year, the Central Bank said in its external sector report.
Tourism revenue is projected to reach US$1.5 billion this year, up from US$1 billion last year.
– BERNAMA
