http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=Significant_increase_in_tourist_arrivals_in_first_half_20130719_02

Significant increase in tourist arrivals in first half

Tourist arrivals in the month of June have increased by 12.8 percent compared to the same period last year. 73,628 tourists have arrived in the country in the moth of June, compared to the 65,245 arrived in May 2012.

Accordingly, tourist arrivals have increased by 13.1 percent in the first half of this year with 512,281 tourists arriving in the island.

Overall arrivals from North America have increased by 11.7 percent to 30,563, from the United States by 26.0 percent, Western Europe by 13.8 percent, Eastern Europe by 21.0 percent and Middle East by 1.6 percent.

Arrivals from East Asian nations have increased by 22.7% in the first six months, while arrivals from China have made a big leap with an increase by 72.3%.

Arrivals from South Asia increased by 7.6 percent with 125,614 tourists visiting the island while, arrivals from India has declined 1.7 percent in the first six months of this year and this decline is attributed to the anti Sri Lankan campaign in the Tamil Nadu state of India.

Courtesy : Department of Government Information