Sri Lanka targets 2.2 million tourist arrivals for 2016 and a total of 4.5 million by 2020.
According to the Tourism Promotions Bureau, Sri Lanka failed to achieve the two million tourist arrivals target last year and future targets have been amended to realistic levels. There is even a possibility of adding 200,000 tourist arrivals to this year’s target if international trends continue. Sri Lanka will look to China and India for growth, while looking for niche sector growth from sports, adventure, Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) and cruise tourism.
From the beginning of last year, the government had set different targets for 2020, including initial acceptance of the previous regime’s master plan, adjusting it later to 4.5 million arrivals, and revising it to 4.2 million arrivals at the end of last year.