Colombo

Over 2,00,000 tourists have arrived in Sri Lanka in January this year, official data showed.

As per Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, 201,687 tourists, from India, Russia, Germany, the US, Britain, Australia and China have visited the country in January, Xinhua news agency reported.

The South Asian country aims to attract two million tourists in 2024.

It received 1,487,303 tourists in 2023, an increase of 106.6 per cent from 2022, according to official data.

Tourism is one of country's top foreign revenue generators.

According to industry sources, hotels across the island are operating at about 75 percent occupancy, and bookings are looking “healthy” till March. For January so far, generating the highest tourist traffic is the Russian Federation, which accounts for 16 percent of the total arrivals. Ranking second is neighbouring giant India, bringing in 15 percent of the tourist arrivals in the first two weeks of January.

Also Read: Budget 2024: No change in tax slabs

The United Kingdom ranks as the third largest source market for Sri Lanka tourism, accounting for 8 percent of the arrivals. Other key markets include Germany, China, France, and Australia.