Sri Lanka tourism surges to record high ? Why

Sri Lanka's tourist arrivals beat a record high in November and for the year, with visitor totals climbing every month ,day on a year-on-year basis since a 25-year ethnic civil war ended in May 2009.

Tourist arrivals in November achieved a monthly record of 90,889, up 25.8 per cent from October, wonderful the island nation's previous monthly peak of 84,627 in December.

The arrivals in the first 11 months of 2011 jumped 33.1 per cent to 758,458 from a year earlier, higher than Sri Lanka's record annual tourist arrivals of 654,476 in 2010.

The country development plan has done major back support to come this stage , entire Island road infrastructure has been upgrading very fast. It was a fruitful news that open Southern Highway from Colombo to Down south Last 27th of November.

• The following table shows tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka:

2011 2010 Change (in %)

November	90,889	72,251	32.8
Jan-Nov	758,458	569,849	33.1

The government is targeting annual revenue of $2.75 billion by 2016 from 2.5 million expected visitors attracted by Sri Lanka's beaches, hills and religious and historic sites, while aiming for $3 billion in foreign direct investment.

Sri Lanka had forecast 20 per cent growth in visitor arrivals this year, or more than 780,000 people. Nalaka Godahewa, the head of Sri Lanka Tourism Board, on Friday said he expects this year's arrivals to be as high as 830,000.

Last year, arrivals grew by 46 per cent. The island's tourism industry drew $1.2 billion for investment in the first half of 2011.

Tourism revenue, which jumped 64.8 per cent in 2010 to a record $575.9 million, has risen 48.1 percent in the first nine months of this year from a year earlier to $580.1 million, central bank data shows.

The Sri Lanka has selected world top 10 tourist destination in the world.

Arugam Bay Beach of Sri Lanka

The Arugambay area offers world-class surfing, deserted beaches, a 2000 year old ruined temple, wild elephants, monkeys, an astonishing range of flora and birdlife in the jungles and wetlands and the the Yala and Lahugala National Parks nearby... This is a recent sketch map of Arugam Bay by Merete Scheller, architect of the Stardust
Beach Hotel.

Arugam Bay is in the remote South East of the Island of Sri Lanka, close to Pottuvil - an area few tourists visit. Inland is a band of jungle 70km wide. Wild elephants roam the coastal plain and the small but delightfull Lahugala National Park about 10 miles inland, and an astonishing range of birdlife migrates to the wetlands and the huge Yala National Park which starts about 20 miles to the south.

The Arugam Bay Eco-Food Festival - 2011 on the theme "Toxin free Food and Pollution free environment" organised by Arugam Bay Tourism Association (ABTA), Sri Lanka Eco-tourism Foundation, Community Guides and Farmers' Association with the assistance of ICEI/Overseas and CTS has drawn a large number of tourists from various countries at the Arugam Bay Galaxy Hotel recently.

Country vegetables produced by the beneficiaries of the ICEI/Overseas and CTS using only the compost fertiliser sans any chemicals displayed by the villagers were viewed by the invitees and the foreigners touring Sri Lanka and staying in Arugam Bay resorts.

The Chief Guest at this ceremony, Pottuvil Pradeshya Sabha chairman M.S. Waseeth, Guest of honor the Chairman ABTA M.H. Raheem and special invitees foreign tourists were taken in a procession flanked by traditional dances and drum beatings to the venue of the Eco Food Festival. The guests, invitees and the beneficiaries who participated in the festival appended their signatures and affirmed the declaration "Lets join hands to give our future generation toxin-free food and pollution-free environment".

The Country Director ICEI/Overseas Ms. Sabrina Espeletta said she was happy to note that revolutionary changes are now in the offing in the use of the compost fertiliser and engaged in their home garden activities. This message should go all over and this trend should be continued, she said. The Programme Co-ordinator I.L.M. Najeem in his PowerPoint presentation touched on the areas what is organic agriculture, what is conventional farming? "Modern agriculture", "Intensive farming" and what we do? and food poisoning.

July 21, 2011 - National Surf Competition in Arugam Bay

Welcome to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's Commitment To Tourism

Tourism is a vital area in the policy framework of defines by his excellences the president Mahinda Rajapaksha. It has been identified as capable of effectively driving the country’s socio economic development. The program’s vision for the tourism sector is to make Sri Lanka the foremost leisure destination in the South Asian Region. The program believes the human resources and natural and cultural endowments values and ethos will be fundamental in transforming Sri Lanka into a centre of excellence and offer tourists the highest values of authentic experiences in its unique setting. Sri Lanka is the multitude travel destination in the world with Environmentally, Natural eco-friendly, Nature secretes , green culture and will be great benchmark of your vacation.