TRIP REPORT Sri Lanka Tourism Climbs

Sitting in Galle on Sri Lanka's coast I can't but help but be surprised how much momentum the tourism market has recovered and spiked ahead after the end of the civil war just two short years ago.
According to the Tourist Hotels Association occupancy for the first quarter averaged 75%, but during the last month the numbers have dropped off significantly.
For industry watchers in Phuket, while May is traditionally the worst month of the year, the current trading figures look to be lower than usual which could indicate some larger patterns in a drop off of demand across the region.
With approximately 14,000 hotel rooms the government is looking to move spur growth to over 35,000 rooms within the next four years.
An article in the Sri Lankan Sunday Observer quoted officials as forecasting 2.5 million tourists by 2015.