Monday Apr 04, 2011
Foreign exchange earnings coming from tourism increased to an unprecedented level of Rs. 56.24 billion, thus registering an increase of 49.9 % as compared to Rs. 37.51 billion recorded in the previous year, stated the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.

In US dollar terms, this amounted to an earnings figure of US $ 497.4 million in 2010 as compared to US $ 326.3 million in the previous year; an increase by 52.4 %. Thus, tourism in Sri Lanka was able to regain its position in 2010 as the fourth highest in terms of foreign exchange earnings that was coming into the country.

Accordingly, the average expenditure per-day per-tourist increased from US $ 81.8 in 2009 to US $ 85.4 in 2010.

With a view to further increase the daily average expenditure of tourists who come into the country, the SLTDA has gazetted the minimum hotel room occupancy and meal rates to be charged by the hotels that are located and coming within the Colombo & Mount Lavinia Municipal Council areas, Policy Research & Information Unit of the Presidential Secretariat reports.

Source: adaderana.lk