Sri Lanka, March 3 -- A Sri Lankan State Minister on Sunday (03 March) said the country's external sector performance has seen a marked improvement year on year, with tourism fetching $342 million in January 2024, an impressive 122% jump from last year.

Speaking in Ruwanwella, his home constituency, Minister of State for Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya was delving into the Central Bank of Sri Lanka's external sector indicators issued mid-week.

Siyambalapitiya said the bank figures show that receipts from tourism had fetched $342 million, which is a 122% growth in January 2024 year-on-year.

The inward remittances from Sri Lankan expats in January 2024 had grown by 5% to $488 million up from $467 million in January 2023.

The Sri Lankan ...