As the world comes together to celebrate 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity, this year Sri Lanka Tourism celebrated World Tourism Day (WTD) under the theme “Tourism and Biodiversity”.

The event was held yesterday (Sep. 27) in the southern coastal area with the introduction of several beach games. Sri Lanka tourism has also organized a number of events including a photographic competition, all Island essay competition for school children and World Tourism Day quiz competition.

The theme provides a unique opportunity to raise public awareness of the importance of biodiversity to tourism and the role of sustainable tourism in the conservation of life.

The theme ‘Tourism and Biodiversity’ is particularly pertinent in 2010 as the United Nations General Assembly, concerned by the continued loss of biological diversity, declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity. The year coincides with the target adopted by governments in 2002, to achieve a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.

Sri Lanka is fast becoming one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka increased by 48.4% during the first half of 2010 (January-June), with a total of 278,652 arrivals to the country in comparison to 187,729 arrivals during the same period last year (2009).

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka in August 2010 also went up 35.7 percent to 55,898, compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. Only 41,207 tourists arrived to Sri Lanka in August 2009.

Sri Lanka was recently ranked as the number one tourist destination by the 'New York Times' in its list of "31 Places to go in 2010".

The United Kingdom recently stated that it is no longer advising its citizens against travel to Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaittivu and Vavuniya.

USA and Germany too recently relaxed travel advisories. The German Embassy said that a long standing travel advisory had been eased enabling German tourists to visit earlier restricted locations such as Yala National Park and Arugam Bay.