Despite a dip in the number of visitors from its primary source markets of Germany and the UK, Sri Lanka tourist arrivals rose 14.8% to 65,797 in February 2011 from a year earlier. The numbers were also down month on month with total February arrivals lower than the January peak of 74,197. However there is no cause for concern as this is simply a reflection of seasonal trends as the Western European winter season drew to a close. Visitors from Western Europe were broadly up 15.8% to 31,092 in February with France growing 45.1% to 4,993 and the Netherlands 59.2% to 2,596, government tourist promotion office data showed. Arrivals from Asia witness strong growth, particularly from china which jumped China rose 61.9% to 1,742. South Asia grew 14.5% driven by a 20.1% rise in India tourist to 10,071. Pakistan rose 43.2% to 872. This is an encouraging sign for Sri Lanka’s resort tourism industry which depends on the Western European winter season for profits. Though there was significant improvement among smaller and emerging markets, the decline in visitors from Germany and the UK does ask some questions.
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