COLOMBO, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's foreign inflows remain positive due to growing tourism and remittances earnings despite a challenging global economy, the Central Bank said here in a statement on Friday.
Earnings from tourism in June 2012 grew by 20.6 percent year-on- year, to 63 million U.S. dollars, while during the first six months of 2012, earnings from tourism have grown at a robust rate of 24.3 percent year-on-year, to 460 million U.S. dollars.
Government data showed that the number of tourists visiting Sri Lanka totaled 65,245 in June, an increase of 21.6 percent, raising tourist arrivals during the first six months of 2012 to 452,867.
"Workers' remittances grew by 12.1 percent, year-on-year, to 452 million U.S. dollars in June 2012, while cumulative inflows on account of workers' remittances during the first six months of 2012 increased by 17.4 percent to 2,942 million U.S. dollars," the statement said.
The Central Bank also said there have also been substantial foreign currency inflows to the capital and financial account of the balance of payments during the first half of 2012.
Foreign Direct Investment inflows during the first six months of 2012 are estimated at 452 million U.S. dollars with the government targeting 2 billion U.S. dollars by year end.
Gross official reserves amounted to 6,045 million U.S. dollars by end June 2012, which is equivalent to 3.5 months of imports by end June 2012.
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