For the first 11 days of July, [tourist] arrivals topped 15,000.
‘Mawrata news’ finds that despite ongoing gasoline shortages and an ongoing economic crisis, Sri Lanka managed to welcome over 15,000 tourists in July 2022.
Priantha Fernando, chair of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), had said “For the first 11 days of July, [tourist] arrivals topped 15,000.”
Fernando noted that there had been a modest increase in tourist arrivals compared to June, but that this was still insufficient.
“We had roughly 32,000 arrivals last month [June],” Fernando said.
He added that a number of significant events, like the Kandy Perahera, would occur in August and might lead to an increase in the number of visitors.
In a similar vein, Fernando noted that September normally sees a decline in visitor numbers.
Potential tourist arrivals are, however, dogged by uncertainty because projections cannot be made at this early a stage due to the conditions in the nation.
The SLTDA Chairman stated that it is “too early to predict” whether the SLTDA would be able to meet the arrival target for August.
He noted about the travel warnings issued by other nations cautioning against visiting Sri Lanka, Fernando stated that it was acceptable since these governments needed to advise their citizens about the precautions that should be taken when traveling. These travel warnings for Sri Lanka advise people to only visit if absolutely essential.
Fernando noted that tour operators were also in charge of guaranteeing the safety of international travelers, noting that the elimination or easing of such travel advisories would promote a conducive travel climate.
Fernando emphasized that as of right now, Sri Lanka was confident in telling tourists that no incidents had affected any foreign visitors and that the island destination remained secure for foreign visitors. He added that Sri Lanka’s message to the world is that it remains “open, transparent, and truthful.”
Fernando also emphasized that cost of living hikes have little effect on tourists, despite the fact that travelers may experience problems as a result of the fuel crisis.
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