The number of tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka went up 7.8% to 90,338 in the month of July 2012, compared to July 2011 which was only 83,786, 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 22.9 percent (17,314) with tourists from France up 12.3 percent (2,267), Belgium up 72.6 percent (378), the number of visitors from Denmark is 371 and Germany up 23.4 percent (3,054), according to the SLTDA.

The number of visitors from the Middle-East is 5,915. Arrivals from East Asia increased 28.4 percent (8,776), with Malaysian arrivals to 1,715, and those from Korea (South) up to 433.

Arrivals from Australasia went up by 32.3 percent to 4,058 within the month of July 2012. The number of visitors from South Africa went up by 110.5 percent to 160.

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