Latest News Stream - Tourist Arrivals

Sri Lanka welcomed 168,625 foreign tourists in October 2026, up 2.1% year-on-year from 165,193 a year earlier, marking the highest-ever arrivals for the month of October and surpassing the previous record of 153,123 set in 2018. The latest figure also brought cumulative arrivals for the first 10 months of 2026 to 1,862,304. India remained the largest source market, accounting for 62,211 visitors, or 37% of the monthly total, followed by the UK with 12,402, China with 11,190, Australia with 8,509 and Germany with 8,027. Daily arrivals averaged around 5,440, peaking at 7,045 on October 17, while the week of October 15–21 recorded the highest weekly arrivals at 42,739. The recovery followed a 0.3% annual decline in September, although cumulative arrivals through September were still down 1.8% year-on-year. Meanwhile, tourism earnings rose 1.5% annually to $186 million in September, although cumulative revenue for January–September fell 9.2% to $2.2 billion.

The number of tourist arrivals in Israel jumped 16.5% year-on-year to 150.1 thousand in October 2026, slowing from 19.2% in the previous month. Total visitor arrivals rose to 152.4 thousand from 131.2 thousand, while day visitors increased to 2.3 thousand from 2.4 thousand. In January-October, tourist arrivals totaled 938.6 thousand, down from 1,056.7 thousand in the same period of 2025. The US accounted for the largest share of arrivals at 34.4%, followed by France at 12.6%, the UK at 8.2%, and Russia at 4.8%.

Spain received 10.1 million international tourists in September 2026, 4.3% more than a year ago and marking a new record for the month. The UK maintained its position as the leading source of tourists, with over 2.2 million visitors (+7.2%). Germany and France followed, although arrivals declined by 4.7% and 1.5%, to nearly 1.3 million and 1.1 million, respectively. The most common length of stay was four to seven nights, accounting for nearly 5.1 million tourists, up 7.8% year-on-year. Day-trippers increased by 12.0%, while the number of tourists staying more than 15 nights declined by 15.1%. The Balearic Islands were the most popular destination, attracting 21.6% of all tourists, up 0.1% compared with September 2025. Catalonia followed with a 20.8% share, an increase of 4.5%, while Andalusia accounted for 15.3%, recording the strongest growth at 5.4%. In the first nine months of 2026, the number of tourists who visited Spain increased by 5.2% and exceeded 80.5 million.

International arrivals to Vietnam rose 7.0% year-on-year to 1.85 million in October 2026, easing sharply from a 16.1% increase in the previous month. Still, tourism activity continued to benefit from favorable visa policies, tourism promotion efforts, and attractive tourism offerings. Arrivals from Asia increased by 4.6%, supported by gains from Japan (36.5%), Malaysia (11.7%), Taiwan (2.9%), and India (4.6%), while arrivals from China (-0.2%) and South Korea (-13.7%) declined. Meanwhile, visitors from the US fell by 0.6%, while arrivals from Canada dropped by 8.1%. In the January–October period, total arrivals grew by 13.8% to 19.5 million compared with the same period a year earlier.

Foreign tourist arrivals to Indonesia increased 2.31% year-on-year to 1.43 million in September 2026, slowing from a 6.27% rise in August. The moderation reflected weaker travel demand amid disruptions caused by recent natural disasters and volcanic activity in some parts of the country. Arrivals rose from Singapore (12.69%), China (35.59%), India (5.625), Japan (21.46%), the U.S. (5.46%), the Middle East (10.19%), and Australia (8.46%). In contrast, visitors dropped from Malaysia (-12.19%) and East Timor (-24.56%). Arrivals from the EU fell 0.8%, mainly from the Netherlands (-12.57%), Germany (-6.15%), and France (-5.80%). In the first nine months of the year, foreign tourist arrivals rose 5.01% from the same period the year earlier to 12.0 million, the highest level since 2020.

The number of foreign visitors in Turkey increased by 0.4% year-on-year to 6.11 million in September 2026, following stagnation in the previous month. Among the five largest source markets, arrivals from the Russian Federation and Iran increased 0.9% and 16.1%, respectively, while visitors from Germany, the United Kingdom, and Poland decreased by 4.9%, 10.9%, and 0.9%, respectively. Antalya accounted for the largest share of tourist arrivals at 35.88%, with 2.19 million visitors, followed by Istanbul at 31.18%, with 1.91 million. Mugla, Edirne and Izmir accounted for 8.95%, 5.63% and 3.07%, respectively. In January to September 2026, the number of foreign visitors declined by 1.52% to 40.9 million, compared to the same period a year earlier.

The number of tourist arrivals in Montenegro rose 9.3% year-on-year in September 2026 from a 8.0% rise in the previous month. Foreign visitors remained the primary source of arrivals, accounting for 92.2% of the total, or 190,932 arrivals, while domestic arrivals represented 7.8% or 16,186. Among foreign tourists, Europe continued to be the largest source region, accounting for 77.2% of arrivals, led by Germany, Poland, Serbia, France, and the United Kingdom. Outside Europe, which accounted for 22.8% of arrivals, the largest shares came from the United States, Israel, and China, including Hong Kong. By type of accommodation, seaside resorts remained the most popular, accounting for 79.3% of arrivals, followed by the capital (11.4%), mountain resorts (5.6%), and other resorts (3.7%). Meanwhile, overnight stays in collective accommodation totaled 757,128, with foreign visitors accounting for 91.3% and domestic visitors for 8.7%.

Tourist arrivals in Bulgaria fell 4.1% year-on-year to 1,251.9 thousand in September 2026, deepening from a 2.1% decline in August and marking the fourth consecutive month of annual contraction. Visits for recreation remained the largest category, accounting for 47.4% of arrivals, followed by other purposes (42.2%) and business purposes (10.4%). Visitors from European Union countries totaled 684.2 thousand, or 54.7% of all arrivals, with Romania accounting for the largest share (29.4%), followed by Greece (14.8%) and Germany (13.5%). Meanwhile, Malta and Cyprus accounted for the smallest shares, at 0.1% and 0.2%, respectively. Tourists from other European countries totaled 462.7 thousand, or 37% of arrivals, with Turkey accounting for 44.8% of this group, followed by Ukraine (22.5%) and Serbia (14.1%), while Norway accounted for the smallest share at 0.9%. Transit travelers passing through Bulgaria reached 390.3 thousand, or 31.2% of all visits by foreign citizens to the country.

The number of tourist arrivals in Macau climbed 15.9% year-on-year to 3.217 million in September 2026, following a 6.1% gain in the previous month. Despite the sharp increase, the number of tourist arrivals eased from its highest level on record reached in the previous month. Same-day visitors surged 23.8% to 1.933 million, while overnight visitors climbed 5.7% to 1.283 million. The average length of stay for all visitors fell by 0.1 days year-on-year to 1.1 days, while overnight visitors stayed an average of 2.4 days. Arrivals from mainland China, Macau’s largest source market, increased 17.4%. Growth was also recorded in Taiwan (18.7%), Japan (2.7%), Thailand (42.3%), the US (24.7%), India (11.4%) and Australia (15.4%). Arrivals from Russia surged 124.3%. From January to September, total visitor arrivals rose 8.5% year-on-year to 32.181 million.

The number of foreign tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka fell by 0.26% year-on-year to 158,557 in September 2026, following a 3.3% decline in the previous month. This marked the sixth year-on-year monthly decline so far this year, although cumulative tourist arrivals for the first nine months of 2026 reached 1,693,679. India continued to dominate as the top source market, accounting for 32.0% of arrivals with 51,931 visitors, followed by China with 11,722 (7.0%) and Australia with 10,951 (7.0%). The UK ranked fourth with 10,738 visitors, followed by Germany with 7,277. Despite the recent weakness, total arrivals remained 6.4% above the same period in 2018, before the pandemic disrupted international travel. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka cut its 2026 tourist arrival target to 2.7 million from 3 million and lowered its tourism revenue goal to $4.2 billion from $5 billion amid weakening visitor numbers.

Visitor arrivals to New Zealand climbed 8.0% year-on-year to 248,714 in August 2026, slowing from an 8.5% rise in July and marking the smallest growth in three months. Arrivals from China increased by 6,500, followed by Australia (up 5,800), the US (up 2,000), and Malaysia (up 1,300). There were record arrivals for an August month of overseas visitors from some markets, including Australia (125,600), Taiwan (5,800), and Singapore (4,600). Overall, overseas visitor arrivals reached 99% of pre-pandemic levels, compared with 251,100 in August 2019. Australians remained the largest source of visitors, accounting for 51% of the total, followed by China (11%), the US (6%), and Japan (4%), highlighting the continued recovery in international tourism demand.

The number of tourist arrivals in Israel jumped 19.2 percent year-on-year to 135.5 thousand in September 2026, reversing a 1.9% fall in the previous month. Total visitor arrivals rose to 137.2 thousand from 115.3 thousand, while day visitors increased to 1.7 thousand from 1.6 thousand. In January-September, tourist arrivals totaled 788.5 thousand, down from 927.8 thousand in the same period of 2025. The US accounted for the largest share of arrivals at 35.5 percent, followed by France at 12.4 percent, the UK at 8.2 percent and Russia at 4.7 percent.

International arrivals to Vietnam rose 16.1% year-on-year to 1.77 million in September 2026, easing from an 18.4% surge in August. Still, tourism activity continued to benefit from favorable visa policies, promotional efforts and attractive tourism offerings. Arrivals from Asia increased 9.3%, supported by gains from China (13.8%), Japan (9.0%), Taiwan (18.2%), Malaysia (4.4%), Thailand (4.3%) and Singapore (16.1%). Visitors from the U.S. rose 13.9%, while arrivals from Europe surged 72.8%, led by Russia (127.5%), alongside gains from the UK (8.1%), France (16.4%) and Germany (26.7%). Arrivals from Australia edged up 1.6%, while those from Africa jumped 60.8%. In the first nine months of 2026, international arrivals increased 14.5% from the same period a year earlier to 17.68 million.

Spain registered about 12.3 million international visitors during August 2026, 9.2% more than in August of 2025 and marking a new record for the month. The United Kingdom was the largest source market, with more than 2.4 million tourists, representing a 9.3% increase compared with August 2025. France ranked second, with almost 2.1 million tourists, up 2.1%, followed by Germany with nearly 1.4 million, an increase of 4.5%. Market accommodation remained the preferred choice, with visitor numbers rising 7.8%. Hotel stays grew 6.6%, while rental housing rose 13.7%. Non-market accommodation grew 16.3%.The Balearic Islands were the most popular destination, attracting 21.2% of all tourists, an increase of 2.6% compared with August 2025. Catalonia followed with a 19.4% share, up 9.1%, while Andalusia accounted for 16.8%, recording the strongest growth at 21.3%. In the first eight months of 2026, the number of tourists who visited Spain increased by 5.4% and reached almost 70.4 million.

Foreign tourist arrivals to Indonesia rose 6.27% year-on-year to 1.60 million in August 2026, picking up from a 2.95% increase in the previous month amid seasonal factors and robust travel demand. Arrivals increased from Malaysia (28.95%), Singapore (1.40%), China (15.57%), the U.S. (7.26%), the Middle East (2.86%), and Australia (10.41%). In contrast, visitors dropped from East Timor (-2.38%), India (-4.93%), and Japan (-2.33%). Arrivals from the EU also fell 3.07%, mainly from the Netherlands (-11.44%) and Germany (-3.32%). In the first eight months of the year, foreign tourist arrivals rose 5.83% from the same period the year earlier to 10.58 million, the highest level since 2020.

The number of tourist arrivals in Montenegro climbed 8.0% year-on-year to a record high of 264,475 in August 2026, accelerating from a 4.4% rise in July. Foreign visitors remained the primary source of arrivals, accounting for 91.7% of the total, or 242,469 arrivals, while domestic arrivals represented 8.3%, or 22,006. Among foreign tourists, Europe continued to be the largest source region, accounting for 82.0% of arrivals, led by Serbia, Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United Kingdom, and France. Outside Europe, which accounted for 18.0% of arrivals, the largest shares came from Israel, the United States, and China, including Hong Kong. By type of accommodation, seaside resorts remained the most popular, accounting for 82.5% of arrivals, followed by the capital (8.8%), mountain resorts (5.2%), and other resorts (3.5%). Meanwhile, overnight stays in collective accommodation totaled 1,125,805, with foreign visitors accounting for 91.4% and domestic visitors for 8.6%.

Tourist arrivals in Bulgaria fell 2.1% year-on-year to 2,221.2 thousand in August 2026, deepening from a 1.2% decline in the previous month. Visits for recreation and excursions remained the largest share of purposes at 51.9%, followed by other purposes (43.2%) and business purposes (4.9%). Visitors from European Union countries totaled 1,307.3 thousand, or 58.9% of all arrivals, with the largest number coming from Romania at 419.2 thousand, or 32.1%, followed by Germany (16.2%) and Poland (8.5%). Tourists from other European countries totaled 741.4 thousand, or 33.4% of all visits to Bulgaria, with the largest number coming from Turkey at 346.5 thousand, or 46.7%, followed by Ukraine (23.5%). Elsewhere, visitors from other countries accounted for 2.1%, with Israel contributing 88.9% of the segment. Meanwhile, transit travelers passing through Bulgaria reached 840.6 thousand, or 37.8% of all visits by foreign citizens to the country.

Tourist arrivals in Slovenia rose by 6.0% year-on-year to 1,286 million in August 2026 from an eleven-month high of 10.6% growth in the previous month. This marked the highest number of arrivals on record. Foreign tourist arrivals increased by 7.6% to 1,116 million, with visitors mainly coming from the Czech Republic (8.6%), Italy (8.3%), and Germany (6.7%), offsetting the declines in the Netherlands (-3.6%) and France (-4.5%). Meanwhile, domestic tourism fell by 3.5% to 169.8 thousand. Overnight stays went up by 5.8% to 3,537 million, with most tourists staying in mountain municipalities (7.7%), urban municipalities (6.4%), the capital (5.5%), and health resorts (5.4%). For the January–August period, tourist arrivals grew by 6.4% year-on-year to 5,390.5 million, while overnight stays also rose by 6.4% to 14,078.4 million.

The number of foreign visitors to Turkey remained broadly flat year-on-year at around 7 million in August 2026, following a 0.3% decrease in the previous month. Among the five largest source markets, arrivals from Germany, the United Kingdom, and Poland fell by 0.8%, 7.5%, and 0.4%, respectively, while visitors from Russia and Iran rose by 6.2% and 15.1%. Antalya accounted for the largest share of tourist arrivals at 36.24%, with 2.52 million visitors, followed by Istanbul at 27.71% with 1.93 million. Mugla, Edirne and Izmir accounted for 9.23%, 6.97% and 3.45%, respectively. In the January-August 2026 period, the number of foreign visitors arrived declined by 1.8% compared to the previous year.

The number of tourist arrivals in Macau rose by 6.1% year-on-year to 4.478 million in August 2026, following a 2.4% gain in the previous month. This marked the highest number of arrivals on record, as same-day visitors jumped by 11.7% to 2.853 million, while overnight visitors fell by 2.4% to 1.625 million. In addition, the average length of stay shortened by 0.1 day from a year earlier to 1.0 day, while the average stay of overnight visitors remained unchanged at 2.3 days. By source market, arrivals from China increased by 9.3% to 3.562 million, with visitors traveling under the Individual Visit Scheme rising by 12.7% to 2.020 million. Arrivals from Taiwan (101,282) and Malaysia (8,161) also increased by 13.7% and 2.1%, respectively. In contrast, visitor arrivals from Hong Kong (643,445), the Philippines (31,282), and Indonesia (11,106) declined by 5.6%, 18.5%, and 16.9%, respectively. In the January–August period, total visitor arrivals rose by 7.7% to 28.964 million.