http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2012/01/08/new23.asp

Record tourist arrivals in December
Sri Lanka's tourist arrivals hit a record high in December and for 2011, as the island nation attracted more visitors from across the world, largely high-spending Europe tourists, Government data showed.
Arrivals have climbed every month on a year-on-year basis since a 30-year conflict ended in May 2009. Tourist arrivals in December hit a monthly record of 97,517, up 15.2 percent from a year earlier, surpassing the nation's previous monthly peak of 90,889 in November.
Arrivals in 2011 jumped 30.8 percent to 855,975 from a year earlier, higher than Sri Lanka's previous record of 654,476 in 2010.
The government is targeting annual revenue of $2.75 billion by 2016 from 2.5 million expected visitors attracted by Sri Lanka's beaches, hills and religious and historic sites, while aiming for $3 billion in foreign direct investment.Tourist arrivals from Western Europe jumped 22.7 percent to 315,210, accounting for 37 percent of the total tourists, while visitor figures from South Asia jumped 35.3 percent to 237,647, accounting for 28 percent of the total. The total arrivals are well beyond the 2011 estimate of above 780,000.
The Tourism Board expects 950,000 tourists in 2012 with a revenue of more than $1 billion, more than 20 percent from last year's estimated $800 million. Last year, arrivals grew by 46 percent. The island's tourism industry drew $1.2 billion for investment in the first half of 2011.Tourism revenue, which jumped 64.8 percent in 2010 to a record $575.9 million, has risen 46.7 percent. - Reuters