Tourist flows to the tsunami struck Paradise Isle are drying up and the tourism authorities are considering revising 2005 targets. January is normally part of the winter tourism peak but January 2005 saw only 38,000 visitors coming to Sri Lanka.
"This is almost half the number of arrivals in December," according to the Tourist Board and well below the anticipated 70,000 for the beginning of the year.
Before the Tsunami hit Sri Lanka’s coast the tourism industry was preparing for a winter arrivals boom that was expected to, more or less, hold its course throughout 2005 supported by promotional campaigns and local events.
"From September-October, the start of the winter season, the trend in arrivals was above 60,000," said a Tourist Board Official.
"Even in December we had around 66,000 visitors before the tsunami. We were expecting over 70,000 by the end of December," he said.
But now, with dismal visitor numbers in January, the Tourist Board is considering revising the annual