May first week records lowest weekly tourist arrivals so far this year

• For the first time in 2023 weekly tourist arrivals drop below 20,000 mark
• Cumulative tourist arrivals for 1 January - 7 May reach 459,578
• India continues to be the largest tourist traffic generator for SL
• China among top five tourist generating markets 

The first week of May recorded the lowest weekly tourist arrivals since January 2023 with only 18,401 international visitors having entered destination Sri Lanka.
From January 1, weekly arrivals have been above the 20,000-mark.

The provisional data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) also showed that the arrivals in the first week of May is 43 percent 
lower from the last week of April.

The previous lowest weekly tourist arrival was recorded in week one of January 2023 where 20,875 international visitors entered the country. The highest weekly tourist arrival was recorded in week four of March with 40,912 incoming tourists.

With the arrivals recorded in the first week of May, the cumulative tourist arrivals so far this year have reached 459,578.

India stood as the largest tourist traffic generator during the first seven days so May accounting for 26 percent or 4,824 arrivals of total arrivals. 

The Russian Federation came in second accounting for 10 percent with 1,869 tourists while the United Kingdom brought in 1,327 visitors, accounting for 7 percent becoming the third largest tourist traffic generator to the country.

Further, tourist arrivals from China are on the rise and the country became the fourth largest tourist traffic generator for Sri Lanka in the first week of May, accounting for 5 percent of the total arrivals. 

In March, China was the ninth largest tourist traffic generator, and in April it jumped to the sixth position.

SL holds 3 roadshows in China

Sri Lanka Tourism recently held three roadshows in China in order to encourage more Chinese tourists to visit the country.

The three roadshows were held in Beijing (17th April), Guangzhou (19th April) and Shanghai (21st April) respectively.  

Each roadshow attracted a large number of Chinese visitors who were keen to gain some valuable information about the Culture, history and the iconic tourist attractions which makes Sri Lanka a popular travel destination, and of the excellent holiday opportunities it has to offer.

 The roadshows also created an opportunity for the Sri Lankan travel trade to get connected with the Chinese travel trade, and get to know more about their travel needs and requirements regarding the destination, while educating the travel trade and the Chinese Media by highlighting the destination attractions at the country presentation. 

The Sri Lanka delegation consisted of more than 20 Sri Lankan companies, along with Sri Lanka Tourism officials including, Padma Siriwardana Managing Director of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) ,Thisum Jayasuriya, Chairman , Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB ), Chinthaka Liyanarachchi (Assistant Director of marketing for China-SLTPB ) and Achini Dandunnage , Senior Manager (SLCB).