TOURISM EARNINGS UP 50 PER CENT
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry has earned 370.1 million US Dollars in revenues in the first half of 2011. It is equal to 50.9 percent from a year earlier, amid a strong increase in arrivals.
Data released by the State Tourism Promotion Agency said that arrivals had grown to 381,538 in the first six months of this year. It is up 36.9 percent from a year earlier.
The Central Bank data indicated that tourism revenues had soared from 27.9 billion rupees to 41 billion rupees, a year earlier. The number of foreigners visiting the island had increased since the end of a 30-year war in 2009. Reports said that room rates had also surged.
