Tourist arrivals cross 100,000 mark first time since pandemic

• Tourist arrivals exceed 100,000 for the first time since Feb. 2020
• Industry releases monthly arrival target for first time in 2021
•  Cumulative tourist arrivals from January 1 to March 29 reach 280,026

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka crossed the 100, 000 mark for a month since February 2020, just before the country closed its borders for tourists due to COVID-19 pandemic. 

Data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) yesterday showed that on March 29 the number of international visitors entering the country crossed the much-awaited milestone.

From March 1 to 29, a total of 101,192 international visitors entered the country. With the March figures thus far, cumulative arrivals to the country from January 1 stood at of 280, 026.
March arrivals include the 550 French female athletes and officials who visited Sri Lanka to participate in the 20th edition of the popular adventure trail Raid Amazones.

The first team of athletes arrived on 14 March, and the second team arrived in the island nation on 27 March.
India remains at the top of the list as the largest source market with 22, 231 arrivals. The United Kingdom ranks second accounting for 11, 634 arrivals, and Germany ranks third with 9,104 visitors.

Russia secured the fourth position with 8,716 visitors. The federation was the largest tourist traffic generator for Sri Lanka until February.  

France ranks as the fifth-largest source market with 5,493 visitors.
Other notable markets include Poland, the United States, Canada, Kazakhstan, and Iran.