Tourist arrivals down 32% YoY in January

Tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka recorded a monthly year-on-year (YoY) decline in tourist arrivals for the eighth consecutive month, with January 2009 arrivals being recorded at 38,468 persons down 32% against 56,916 arrivals in January last year, accordingto a CT Smith Stockbrokers report.

It said whilst this is the steepest monthly % YoY decline seen in the last eight months, it should be noted that the estimated 13,000 Bohra arrivals recorded in January 2008 (and in January 2007) was not seen this year, and “thus this likely contributed to the exaggerated monthly % YoY decline. Even after adjusting for this factor however, a monthly % YoY decline of around 12% is still recorded for January 2009.”