Tourist arrivals in November have shown some improvement, but it is uncertain if the current pace will be enough to reach the target of 200,000 visitors or meet the month-end goal.
According to provisional data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), the country welcomed a total of 117,597 tourists in the first 23 days of November.
The target set for the month is 204,114. The average daily arrival rate for the month so far is about 5,111, which is the highest recorded for the year.
However, this improved rate is unlikely to push tourist arrivals beyond the 200,000 mark, as it would require an average of at least 11,771 daily arrivals for the next seven days.
As a result, the tourism sector has achieved only 57 percent of the total target for November. Year-to-date arrivals stand at 1.24 million, generating an income of US$1.59 billion. Sri Lanka aims to attract at least 1.55 million international tourists this year, generating an income of US$2.5 billion.
The Tourism Ministry and the SLTDA have expressed confidence in surpassing the arrival target, but industry stakeholders believe that they may fall slightly short.
In terms of tourist traffic, India remains the largest contributor, accounting for 20 percent of the total arrivals in November so far. The Russian Federation ranks second, contributing 16 percent, followed by Germany with 9 percent. Other important markets include the United Kingdom, Australia, China, and the United States.
