The number of tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka went up 17.5% to 57,506 in the month of May 2012, compared to May 2011 which was only 48,943, according to the latest figures released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).

Figures showed an increase in the number of arrivals from Western Europe, East Asia, Middle East and North America.

The number of visitors from Western Europe rose by 25.6 percent (15,596) with tourists from France up 16.9 percent (3,225), Belgium up 15.4 percent (232), the number of visitors from Austria is 168 and Germany up 37.1 percent (2,930), according to the SLTDA.

The number of visitors from the Middle-East is 2,675. Arrivals from East Asia increased 41.0 percent (9,311), with Malaysian arrivals to 1,854, and those from Singapore up to 1,103.

Arrivals from Australasia went up by 25.4 percent to 3,641 within the month of August 2011. The number of visitors from South Africa went up by 28.3 percent to 195.

Tourist arrivals in the country increased sharply from May 2009 after defeating 30 years of terrorism.