Lanka records over 17% jump in tourist arrivals

Sri Lanka received 707,924 tourists in the first three months of this year, an increase of 17.1% compared with the corresponding period last year, a minister said yesterday.Tourism Development Minister John Amaratunga told Xinhua news agency that the country could have attracted more tourists in March if not for the outbreak of communal violence in Galle and the subsequent declaration of the state of Emergency.India, China, Germany, France and the UK are the biggest tourist markets for Sri Lanka. Quoting the latest statistics released by the Sri Lankan Tourism Development Authority, he said the country received 233,382 tourist arrivals in March.“It is a drop against 235,618 tourists we received in February. Despite the slight decline, we can sustain the growth momentum for the future as the country is now normal,” Amaratunga added.