By: Isuru Parakrama
October 24, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is set to fall short of its tourism target for 2024, with the country now expected to attract approximately two million visitors, missing its initial goal of 2.36 million by 11.6 per cent, according to a report by Softlogic Stockbrokers (SSB).
The revised forecast comes in the wake of visa processing challenges and uncertainties surrounding the upcoming elections, which have negatively impacted tourist inflows.
Tourism authorities initially projected 2.36 million arrivals for the year, banking on strong early performance.
The year began on a positive note, with arrivals in January and February showing a significant year-on-year growth of 103 per cent, buoying hopes of a full recovery for the sector.
However, as the year progressed, momentum began to falter due to administrative delays in visa processing, which made it difficult for potential visitors to enter the country smoothly.
Additionally, fears that the forthcoming elections may disrupt travel plans have added further pressure to the numbers.
In September, growth in tourist arrivals slowed to single digits for the first time in 2024, marking a concerning decline.
Based on this trend, SSB has revised its forecast to two million visitors for the year, a notable reduction from the original target.
Data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) shows that 63,491 tourists arrived in the first half of October, with a slight uptick in the daily average of 4,232 compared to September’s figure of 4,071.
However, to meet the monthly goal of 153,123 arrivals, the country still needs to attract an additional 90,000 visitors before the end of October, a challenging task given the current trends.
By mid-October, total arrivals for the year reached 1.55 million, leaving the target of 2.36 million increasingly out of reach.
For Sri Lanka to meet this goal, the country would have to bring in over 815,000 tourists in the remaining months of the year, a figure that is now seen as unlikely given the ongoing obstacles.
India remains the top source of tourists for Sri Lanka in 2024, helping to bolster numbers despite the broader challenges.
Nonetheless, the country’s tourism sector is bracing for a tough end to the year, with election-related uncertainties and lingering visa processing issues likely to continue affecting visitor numbers.
