Sri Lanka's Tourism Minister Harin Fernando revealed that the nation experienced an unprecedented influx of tourists, with more than 200,000 arrivals in the month of December alone.
This surge marks the highest monthly figure recorded in the past four years, signaling a remarkable rebound for the country's tourism industry.
According to the weekly summary report released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), the period from December 1 to 28 witnessed a total of 1,476,951 tourist visits. Consequently, the cumulative tourist arrivals for the entire year, from January 1 to December 28, have reached a notable 1,466,556.
Minister Fernando highlighted that this surge has surpassed the original government target set in January, aiming for 1.5 million tourist arrivals by the end of 2023. This achievement is particularly noteworthy given that Sri Lanka had recorded only 719,978 tourist arrivals in the entire year of 2022.
The surge in December has significantly contributed to the nation's efforts to revitalize its tourism sector after facing challenges in the previous year.
