Tourist arrivals in April rose by 11.6% to 136,367 boosting first four months haul by 20% to 721,185. Arrivals from India rose by 12.3% to 25,890 in April whilst Chinese tourist arrivals rose by 37.6% to 18,927.

In the first four months arrivals from India grew by 27% to 111,514 and Chinese tourists amounted to 96,886, up by 45%. Arrivals from Japan rose by 26% to 3,172 in April and boosted the first four months figure by 11% to 15,106.

As a region, Western Europe continue to dominate with arrivals up 20.6% to 246,438 in the first four months and 39,243 in April, up by 12%. Arrivals from the UK rose by 7% to 12,006 in April and by 23% to 68,883 in the first four months. German tourists grew by 26% to 8,065 in April and by 14% to 51,515 by end April.

French tourist arrivals rose by 18% in April to 7,518 and by end April they amounted to 43,173, up by 13% from the first four months of last year. Eastern Europe as a region produced 72,662 tourists in the first four months up by 12% whilst in April arrivals declined by 3% to 11,285. Russia is the dominant source though year on year figure has been declining.

Ukraine has seen sharp growth of 79% in the first four months to 14,240 whilst in April arrivals grew by 76% to 2,338. Arrivals from Czech Republic have increased by 29% to 9,571 by end April. Middle Eastern tourists have improved by 12% to 31,000 in the first four months and higher by 6% to 5,800 in April.

In the first quarter of this year, earnings from tourism have risen by 22% to $969.3 million. The Government has targeted 2.2 million visitors this year. Nearly 1.8 million tourists arrived in Sri Lanka last year contributing $ 2.98 billion of earnings to government revenues in 2015 compared to $ 2.43 billion recorded during 2014.

Source : http://www.ft.lk/article/540024/Tourist-arrivals-up-by-11-6–in-April#sthash.RYxq6TiJ.dpuf