November 2023 arrivals to Sri Lanka; highest so far in the year...
November became 2023’s winner for the highest number of arrivals in a month, with 151,496 visitors. Up until then, July held that position with tourist arrivals totaling 143,039.
The top three sourcing destinations for Sri Lanka for November 2023 was India with 27,281 (20%) followed by the Russian Federation 22,382 (16%) and in third place was Germany with 11,680 arrivals.(9%).
The November 2023 figures is 14 % less than that of November 2019 (176,984) and 23% below the 195,582 visitors who came in 2018. It was also well under the projected target of 204,114 tourists for the month, by 26% - despite the huge confidence of breaching the 1.55 million arrivals goal for 2023, as articulated by Sri Lanka Tourism’s big wigs in early November 2023.
The SLTPB chairman, speaking at that press conference noted that November and December is a tourist season: thus receiving three to four lakhs of arrivals is not going to be problematic, as the monthly average of one lakh during even the off-season in 2023 has been surpassed, adding “Therefore, there is no such thing as an off-season.”
November’s total arrivals figure may well be eclipsed by December’s performance. In general, December, which is one of the peak months for Sri Lanka tourism, has provided the highest number of visitors in the pre-covid period and is likely to do so in 2023. However, one thing though is certain. Sri Lanka’s 2023 goal of welcoming 1.55 million tourists is not going to happen.
With cumulative tourist arrivals in the eleven months of 2023 (January to November) reaching 1,276,951, the best case scenario is that it may fall short of attracting around 95,000 – 100,000 arrivals. Last year, the island failed to achieve its downsized target by over 80,000 visitors and, by 280,000 from the original target.
Sri Lanka’s bid to boost arrivals by offering visa-free entry to tourists from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia and Thailand was eventually implemented with effect from 27th November 2023, and will run until 31st March 2024.
Hospitality Sri Lanka
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