Tourist arrivals on the rise

Nadira Gunatilleke and Manjula Fernando

COLOMBO: There has been a significant improvement in the tourism industry. Sri Lanka recorded over 50,000 tourists last month, Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said.

Addressing the weekly press briefing at the Government Information Department Auditorium yesterday, Abeywardena said there is a 19 per cent increase in tourists from the Middle East.

Arrangements have been made to attract over 30,000 tourists from Israel in the near future, he said.

Abeywardena pointed out that France has already lifted one phase of its travel advisory imposed against touring in Sri Lanka. Up to this month, 55,130 tourists have visited Sri Lanka. There is a gradual increase during the past few months. Over 26,000 tourists arrived in Sri Lanka in May and in June, the number was over 30,000, the Minister said.