Sri Lanka records highest-ever tourist arrivals of 2.3 mln this year

COLOMBO -- Sri Lanka received more than 2.3 million tourists so far this year, the highest ever recorded in history, a minister here said on Wednesday.

Sri Lankan tourism promotion minister John Amaratunga told Xinhua that a large number of tourists arrived in the country this year, with an increase against the 2.2 million arrivals reported by the end of last year.

The tourism development authority would calculate how many tourists came from each different country to Sri Lanka later, Amaratunga added.

"We now see some tourists disembarking at Colombo seaport. In the past, we recorded arrivals at the Colombo airport only," he said.

He also said this year's increase was a significant growth amidst spells of natural disasters such as floods that hit the country from time to time, and the outbreak of Dengue epidemic also influenced the tourism industry this year.

The minister said he has submitted proposals for the development of some domestic airports in the country to facilitate the tourism industry.

China is the second largest tourism market for Sri Lanka with 249,000 arrivals so far this year.