Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism Vijitha Herath stated that an income of $3.7 billion has been generated from tourist arrivals over the past six months.
He added that another $3.7 billion in revenue is expected by the end of the year.
Minister Herath made these remarks while attending an event at the Seeta Amman Kovil in Nuwara Eliya.
He explained that Indians are the largest group of tourists arriving in Sri Lanka, with many coming for religious purposes, and added that religious sites such as Koneswaram Temple and Kataragama are particularly popular among them.
Commenting further, he said, “That is a major strength for us. As you know, we were economically bankrupt. To recover from that situation, we need to rapidly develop the tourism industry. We are working toward that goal. So far, 1.3 million tourists have arrived, and we have earned $3.7 billion in revenue in the past six months.
Minister Herath also said that the government aims to bring in 3 million tourists this year and is making good progress toward that goal.
