brand logo

Over 1,700 tourists visit SL in a month

27 Jan 2021

  • Only 60 during 21-24 Jan

  By Karen Hapuarachchi   Sri Lanka has received over 1,700 tourists in one month, including the group of Ukrainian tourists who began travelling the island, from late December 2020 to January 2021, The Morning Business learns. According to Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) Acting Marketing Director and Director of Public Relations Madubhani Perera, 1,700 tourists were recorded during the period from 25 December 2020 to 24 January 2021, along with a group of German travellers. She said that out of these 1,700 tourists, 60 tourists came during the period from 21-24 January this year. “From December (2020) up to 24 January, there were about 1,700 tourists that came into the country under the pilot project. But with regard to tourists who came with our second programme with the reopening of airports under the guidelines, only 60 tourists arrived 21 to 24 January 2021,” Perera explained. “There were German tourists recently along with 15 tourists and five travel agencies from Germany that came,” she added. Perera also noted that apart from the German tourists and the respective 15 tourists who arrived following the reopening of Sri Lankan airports, the country has only allowed Ukrainian tourists to visit from late December 2020 to January 2021 under the pilot project handled by former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga. Moreover, the initial aim of the pilot project was to accommodate around 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian tourists to generate $ 10 million in revenue to Sri Lanka, with hotels offering an all-inclusive package no less than $ 100 per day, where each tourist was expected to spend around $ 1,500 for the package. However, only 1,700 out of the expected 5,000 are reported to have arrived in the country. “There was a pilot project handled by Udayanga Weeratunga, the former Ambassador (to Russia). He’s the one who initiated this programme and brought down these people. He was able to do it because he had contacts,” Perera noted. When questioned on the expectations for 2021, SLTPB said that predicted numbers of tourists in the present year are unavailable due to the unexpected impacts that have affected the tourism industry. There was said to be an expected gradual increase of tourists in 2021. In addition to this, countries that were claimed to be most likely to visit Sri Lanka were the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Germany, and India. “We cannot give the numbers because it will be a slow increase, so we can’t expect numbers at the moment. The UAE, Germany, and India are a few examples that have high potential of visiting Sri Lanka,” Perera added.


More News..