Sri Lanka is hoping to see a 400% increase in the number of Britons that visit the island by 2016.
The country is on course to welcome 100,000 British visitors this year, the highest number yet, with plans to attract 400,000 by 2016.
Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau managing director Malraj Kirielia said the potential for growth is immense now the country’s civil war has finished.
“These are realistic growth figures, and with the right marketing, we believe we can hit them.
“The key for the British market, which we hope to expand to 400,000 by 2016, is to promote more than just the beaches.
“That market makes up close to 70% of the Brits that come here but there are many niche opportunities such as adventure and nature which we want to educate travel agents about so that consumers know what Sri Lanka has to offer.”
Kirielia said the tourist board wanted to increase overall tourist numbers by 2.5 million by 2016.
However, the planned growth will require a huge investment in hotel rooms, which will need to increase from 15,000 to 50,000.
Kirielia stressed the importance of the growth being sustainable throughout both environmentally and socially.
He expected close to 500,000 jobs to be created and wanted the lion’s share to be taken by local people.
Kirielia said investment from foreign hotel groups was key.
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