Tourism kicks of 2016 with record arrivals in January

• China remains the rising star with arrivals more than doubling

Sri Lanka tourism has got off to a record start in 2016 with January arrivals notching up an all time high of 194,280. 

The record figure for the month of January is a growth of 24.3% over 2015 arrivals of 156,246. In 2014 January arrivals amounted to 146,575 and in 2013 the figure was 110,543.

China is the rising star with arrivals more than doubling to 26,083 from 11,735 in January last year. Indian tourists remained number one with 28,895, up by 26%. 

Western Europe continued its dominance as the biggest region at the start of 2016 with arrivals amounting to 63,690, up by 24%.  UK produced 16,253 tourists, up by 21% followed by Germany 12,760 up by 23%. 

All markets in Western Europe except France produced double digit growth in January in comparison to a year earlier. 

South Asia came in second with a growth of 20.7% to 40,501 followed by East Asia up 48% to 38,807. 

Eastern Europe brought in 22,733 tourists, up by 11%  whilst arrivals from the Middle East saw 15% growth to 10,109.