Sri Lanka named as the best country in the world to visit in 2019

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Almost 10 years after the end of its civil war, Sri Lanka has been named as the best country in the world to visit in 2019 by Lonely Planet. Better transport links, new hotels and a growing number of activities were cited as the reason the south-Asian island was chosen for the top spot in the guidebook publisher ’s annual Best in Travel awards. Tourist visits to Sri Lanka have increased dramatically since the end of the 26-year conflict, from 447,890 in 2009 to an all-time high of 2.1 million last year, a figure that the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority hopes to double by 2020. The scenic rail routes in Sri Lanka are now widely thought to be some of the best in the world.