Dizzying targets hit Sri Lanka Tourism
View(s):Sri Lanka Tourism is in a frenzy to grab whoever might land in the country as a tourist as they face unlikely targets to reach 2.5 million by 2016.
Sri Lanka Tourism (SLT) is currently targeting 1.5 million arrivals next year but there is a possibility this would change even as this year’s figures would be barely achieved.
Tourist arrivals this year would be achieved “closer to the target” with some slight variations from the initial target of 1.25 million, SLT said in an emailed statement on Friday.
However revenue targets were met by October this year at US$1 billion and the overall revenue for this year was expected to be around US$1.3-1.5 billion, it pointed out.
The earlier projection of achieving a target of 1.5 million visitors to the country next year is expected to be readjusted, some officials opine.
Industry sources believe that overcrowding itself would not prove well since it could lead to a drop in service levels as customers were likely to get neglected.
In fact, this year’s targeted figure of 1.25 million visitors was unlikely to be achieved and would scale down in the range of 1.15-1.2 million.
In addition, SLTD noted that the figures for winter would amount to 350,000 holidaymakers bringing in revenue of around US$395 million from the period November to January.