SLTDA overestimates tourism earnings; reveals CB data

• Tourism income generated for Jan. and Feb. overestimated by US $ 261mn
• Income for first two months brought down to US $ 322mn, from US $ 583mn
• Average daily spending per tourist revised downwards by US $ 40 

By Shabiya Ali Ahlam
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has overestimated the revenue generated by the sector for the first two months of the year, the latest Weekly Economic Indicators report by the Central Bank revealed. 

The report that was released on Friday showed that the total income generated for the month of January and February for 2022, via tourism, had been revised downwards by US $ 261 million. 

The income for the first two months that was initially reported by the SLTDA and published by the Central Bank was US $ 583 million but now it has been revised to US $ 322 million. 

As reported by Mirror Business in February, the income recorded from tourism for the month of January 2022 almost doubled in a span of a week from what was initially captured and reported by the SLTDA.

The Weekly Economic Indicators report for February 11, released by the Central Bank, captured the earnings from tourism for the month of January as US $ 110.7 million. The report published on February 18 by the Central Bank captured the earnings from tourism as US $ 268.3 million for the same month. 

Meanwhile, the average daily spending per tourist, which was previously estimated as US $ 215.8, has been revised to US $ 175.8.

The average duration of stay per tourist that was previously estimated as 15.1 days has also been revised to 10.23 days.