By: Isuru Parakrama
October 17, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka welcomed 63,491 tourists in the first half of October, reflecting a continued slowdown in visitor numbers ahead of the upcoming winter season, according to data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).
Between 7th and 15th October, the daily average of arrivals stood at 4,169, a slight drop from the 4,327 recorded during the first six days of the month.
However, this figure represents a marginal increase from September’s average of 4,071 tourists per day.
Despite this, the overall growth rate in tourist arrivals for September marked a modest year-on-year increase of 9.11 per cent, suggesting a slower pace of recovery in comparison to previous months.
The first half of October saw an overall daily average of 4,232 visitors, with India remaining the dominant source of arrivals, contributing 18,078 tourists.
China and the United Kingdom followed with 4,504 and 4,495 arrivals, respectively. Other key source markets included Germany, Russia, and Australia.
Cumulative arrivals for 2024 have now reached 1,548,299, with India accounting for 304,634 visitors. The UK ranked second with 140,959 arrivals, while Russia held third place with 130,701.
Although tourist arrivals in October typically surpass those of September, the SLTDA has forecasted a modest total of 155,070 arrivals for the month, reflecting a cautious outlook for the remainder of the year.
