Earnings from tourism increase

Earnings from tourism in the first quarter of 2012 grew at a healthy rate of 28.8 per cent to US $ 268 million.Tourist arrivals in April this year rose 9.0 percent compared to the same period last year, the data released by Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) showed.

The month recorded 69,591 tourists arriving in the country compared to 63,835 in April 2011.Sri Lanka launched an ambitious five-year plan under the guidance of the Economic Development Minister to boost tourism in the country. Under the plan Sri Lanka expects to raise the number of arrivals to 2.5 million and earn an annual revenue of US$ 2.75 billion by 2016.

(Courtesy: priu.gov.lk)