Arrivals grow 19% in February

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka in February hit 197,697, growing 19.4 percent year-on-year (yoy) helped by travel during the Chinese new year, to record the second highest arrival figures in history.

East Asian arrivals increased 11.3 percent yoy to 46,632, with 32,186 arrivals coming from the Chinese market, which grew 17.4 percent yoy.

China had overtaken India as the largest source market in February last year as well. It had also managed the feat in July and August 2015. However, China ended up as the second largest source market for 2015, with 214,783 arrivals compared to 316,247 arrivals from India.

Japanese arrivals in February increased 4.1 percent yoy to 4,726, while the Indonesian market, from which there have been unpredictable heavy arrivals over the past 2 years attributed to long transits by trade professionals, recorded a 47.9 percent decline yoy to 1,816 arrivals. Arrivals from the South Asian region increased 24.8 percent yoy to 36,216, with arrivals from India going up 32.8 percent yoy to 26,559.

The Maldivian market grew 8 percent yoy with 5,780 arrivals, while arrivals from Pakistan fell 21.4 percent yoy to 1,648.

The largest regional market of Western Europe grew 21 percent yoy to 73,533 arrivals. UK led with 19,194 arrivals, growing 26.2 percent yoy.

France, where new trade and television promotional campaigns are being carried out, contributed with 14,602 arrivals, growing 14.6 percent yoy, overtaking the German market, which grew 10.5 percent yoy to 14,426 arrivals.

Italian arrivals increased 40.5 percent yoy to 3,607. National carrier Srilankan Airlines is dropping Rome as a destination in May 2016.

Dutch arrivals increased 55.8 percent yoy to 3,555. The winner of the Miss Tourism Sri Lanka pageant held last month was Miss Netherlands, who has agreed to become the brand ambassador for Sri Lanka. North Amercian visitor levels increased 24 percent yoy to 8,372 arrivals. The US market expanded 23.1 percent yoy to 4,851 arrivals, while the Canadian arrivals increased 25.4 percent yoy to 3,521. Arrivals from Australasia increased 27 percent yoy to 4,937, with Australia making the biggest contribution, growing 27.3 percent yoy with 4,421 arrivals.

Arrivals from the Middle East increased 4.8 percent yoy to 4,896. However, the largest market of Saudi Arabia declined 2.3 percent yoy to 1,075 arrivals.