Tourist arrivals increased to more than 100,000 last month

By Ifham Nizam

Sri Lanka had recorded more than 100,000 tourist arrivals in January 2023, Minister of Tourism Harin Fernando said on Wednesday addressing journalists in Colombo.Fernando said that tourist arrivals were increasing as the situation in the country was improving and due to tourism promotion

He said that 82,327 tourists had arrived in January 2022. The number had risen to 102,545 in January 2023, he said.The minister said 719,978 tourists had arrived in 2022.

February 2002 saw the arrival of 96,507 tourists followed by 106,500 in March, 62,980 in April, 30,207 in May, 32,856 in June, 47,293 in July, 37,760 in August, 29,802 in September, 42,026 in October, 59,759 in November, and 91,961 in December of 2022, he said.Earnings from tourism are estimated at over USD 1.1 billion in 2022, compared to USD 507 million in 2021.