Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka drops by 3% in 2005

Jan 26 (LBO) - Sri Lanka’s tourism industry struggles back to its feet after the tsunami, to be knocked down by internal politics.



Jan 26 (LBO) - Sri Lanka’s tourism industry struggles back to its feet after the tsunami, to be knocked down by internal politics. The Sri Lanka Tourist Board on Thursday, reported a 3 percent reduction in tourist arrivals for the year 2005, compared to 2004, but says industry revival after the tsunami, is good.

By end December, Sri Lanka recorded 549,300 tourists compared to 566,200 in 2004.

According to preliminary data from the World Tourism Organisation, released on January 24, all tsunami hit countries continued to report lower arrivals towards end of 2005.

The Maldives reported a 39 percent drop in arrivals from January to November, compared to 2004.

Arrivals to Indonesia were down by nearly 9 percent but the country also suffered from the October Bali bombing.

Thailand reported a 6 percent decline up to June, but arrivals at the Bangkok airport registered 4 percent growth in the period through October.

Opportunity Cost

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