3 m arrivals target out of reach

Tourism Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe concedes shortfall of arrivals will likely reach just over 2.5 m amid policy delays and operational bottlenecks Acknowledges limited BIA slots stall charter flights; but explores Mattala options Notes free-visa scheme for 47 countries still pending AG clearance with rollout likely in early October Discloses Govt. mulls long-term visas for elderly Europeans to boost extended stays and wellness tourism Industry stakeholders warn policy delays go deeper than missing statistical target, risking long-term competitiveness

- BY CHARUMINI DE SILVA

SRI Lanka's much-publicised target of welcoming 3 million tourists in 2025 is slipping out of reach, with the Government now conceding that actual arrivals will likely fall short by at least half a million.

Tourism Deputy Minister Prof.Ruwan Ranasinghe said the country will not reach its ambitious target of 3 million arrivals, but will not downsize its target.

"Realistically, we will not reach the 3 million target this year, but we will not downgrade our target.

With just three months left, I feel we will end up just over 2.5 million," Prof. Ranasinghe told the Daily FT.

To hit the official goal, SriLanka would need to attract nearly 1.4 million more visitors in the remaining 16 weeks, requiring a weekly inflow of over 87,000 arrivals, which is over double the current rate.

Industry analysts opined such numbers are mathematically impossible without the kind of demand boost only a global marketing campaign could deliver.