Sri Lanka is no longer just a beach destination, deputy economic development minister Lakshman Abeywardene said recently.  Sri Lanka’s main historical, and wildlife attractions had begun to draw more visitors to the island.

Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth Relic) - Kandy.

Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth Relic) - Kandy. cc YIM Hafiz @flickr

 

 

Sri Lanka received 654,476 tourists in 2010.

Key destinations of these tourists include following:
44.8 percent (293,721 tourists) visited the Temple of the Tooth in the central hill town of Kandy,
35 percent (229,359 tourists) visited an elephant orphanage in Pinnawala
32.23 percent (201,949) visited Sigiriya.
Over 32 percent (210,949) visited national botanical gardens
21.8 percent visited wildlife parks.
15.7 percent (103,335) visited the ancient city of Polonnaruwa
11.6 percent (75,917) visited Anuradhapura
2.63 percent visited the Dehiwala Zoo,
3.37 percent visited national museums.

Picture – Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage cc Falconne007 @flickr