Philippines Reports Decline in Tourist Arrivals for Early 2025
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Sri Lanka tourism hits 900,000 arrivals in early May, while Galaxy Entertainment soft-launches Capella at Galaxy Macau with 36 villas.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority said Sri Lanka’s tourism sector has already surpassed 900,000 international arrivals this year. Their ambitious target for the year is three million tourists and US$5 billion in revenue. In 2024, Sri Lanka did not get their 900,000th tourist until June, but this year, it was hit on May 1. The first four days of May saw 20,522 tourists enter the country, with the SLTDA projecting 165,118 tourist arrivals for May. While this sounds promising, Sri Lanka failed to meet their monthly tourist targets from January to April. May’s early numbers were led by India continuing to be the most significant source market, followed by the United Kingdom and China. Sri Lanka hopes its casino industry can drive the increased visitation needed to meet its projections. There are 10 new casino licenses under review, and a new gaming regulator is in place. The upcoming City of Dreams Sri Lanka is expected to generate up to US$250 million in ann