Sri Lanka, Sept. 2 -- Sri Lanka should regard five million tourists a year as the maximum the island can accommodate and focus future growth on generating greater value from visitors, Deputy Tourism Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe said, signalling a shift away from a volume-driven tourism strategy.

"For an island of this size and type, I think five million tourists would be the maximum," Ranasinghe said, citing Sri Lanka's small size, sensitive ecosystems and fragile cultural heritage.

"We are no longer interested only in volumes. We are a small island nation with sensitive ecological settings, a small population, and fragile cultural practices and heritage. We need to be cautious about this."

Ranasinghe said the government considered...