Tourists Make It to Sri Lanka Despite Ditwah

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka remain uninterrupted as the country works swiftly to restore normalcy following Cyclone Ditwah.

In the first four days of December alone, 25,046 tourists have entered the country.

India, Germany, Russia, and the United Kingdom accounted for the largest share of arrivals.

Those countries were followed by visitors from China, Australia, Poland, France, the United States, and several other nations.

“We have seen very few cancellations, mainly at our properties in the hill country,” said Manoj Devaraj, Director of Sales at Teardrop Island, a leisure.

The firm operates eight boutique style hotels including three in the Central Hills.

Two is located in Hatton, a well-known region for tea plantations, scenic waterfalls, and lush greenery.

The other Hill property of the firm is in Ella, a major tourism hotspot.

Both Hatton and Ella were affected by Cyclone Ditwah, with supply routes temporarily cut off.

Restoration work is currently underway, and normalcy is gradually returning.

“As of today, our occupancy across all properties is around 60%, with the majority being overseas guests,” Devaraj added.

The Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) also shared images of incoming travelers on its official X account yesterday.

 “Today at BIA, the journey continues – full of life, warm smiles, and travelers stepping onto our island with hope,” It stated on ‘X’ .

Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance, a collective group of the tourism sector, reassured visitors in its 4 December update:

“Visitors already in Sri Lanka are continuing their itineraries as planned, and new arrivals can expect regular, uninterrupted travel experiences.”

On 5 December, UK based travel and trade publication, TTG Media, reported that Sri Lanka is “open, safe, and fully operational, ready to welcome agents’ clients.”

November to May is Sri Lanka’s top Winter Tourism season, with more Europeans starting to come since December.

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