Sri Lanka eyes tourism boom in 2024 via slick ads, digital nomads

COLOMBO -- Sri Lanka is crafting a new tourism strategy, aiming to build on a promising 2023 by honing its advertising message, wooing digital nomads and raising per-traveler revenue. It may even have a chance to capitalize on shifting geopolitical winds amid tensions between neighboring India and the Maldives.

The South Asian island welcomed over 1.48 million visitors last year -- roughly double that of 2022, when the country defaulted on sovereign debt, suffered severe shortages and saw protests topple the government. Buoyed by glowing tourism features in international magazines like Forbes and Conde Nast Traveler, the country is hoping for at least 2.3 million in 2024.