Sri Lanka tourist arrivals up 8 pct in July

Aug 15, 2012 (LBO) - Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka rose 7.



8 percent to 90,338 in July 2012 from a year earlier, with arrivals up to July rising 16.7 percent to 543,205, data from the state tourism promotion office showed.



In the first seven months of 2012, the top generating market was India, with 96,990 up 2.8 percent. UK was the second largest source of tourists at 61,618 up 5 percent, with Germany coming in third with 37,933 visitors up 26 percent.

France was the fourth largest source of tourists with 33,893 up 16.4 percent followed by Maldives at 23,704 up 4.

6 percent closely followed by Australia with 23,838 up 18 percent.

Sri Lanka's tourist arrivals have growth steadily since a 30 year war ended in 2009. Arrivals from South Asia dipped 9.

7 percent to 16,837 with India, the top generating market slowing down 8.1 percent to 11,564.

Visitors from the Maldives declined 7.

8 percent to 3102.

Visitors from Western Europe rose 22 percent to 41,584 with UK generating most tourists at 13,643 up 13.

7 percent from a year earlier. German visitors rose 28 percent to 5,852 and French visitors rose 30.

1 percent to 6,189.

Eastern European visitors rose 42.5 percent to 3,246 with Ukrainian arrivals up 114