Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals Up 4.2% in December

The number of foreign tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka climbed 16.2% year-on-year to a new record high of 279,328 in February 2026, accelerating from a 9.7% rise in the previous month. Daily data showed that February 12 marked the highest single-day arrivals of the month, with 12,731 visitors, reflecting the country’s effective tourism development measures. Of the top-ranking tourist sources, India remained Sri Lanka's largest inbound market in the month, contributing 47,679 tourists and accounting for 17% of total arrivals, reinforcing strong cultural and regional ties. Other key contributors included Britain (11%), Russia (8%), Germany (8%), and China (7%). Considering the first two months of the year, foreign tourist arrivals grew by 12.9% compared to the same period last year, reaching a total of 556,655.

The number of foreign tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka rose by 9.7% year-on-year to an all-time high of 277,327 in January 2026, surpassing previous winter-season records, including 253,169 arrivals in December 2018 and 258,928 in December 2025. The strong performance suggested the winter season peaked later and stronger than usual, as the month outperformed December 2025, defying the typical holiday-driven pattern. India remained the largest source market, contributing 52,061 tourists, up 20% year-on-year and accounting for 19% of total arrivals. The Russian Federation, despite remaining the second-largest source market with 29,540 arrivals, saw a contraction of 13.4% compared to a year ago. The UK rose to third place with 27,134 visitors, up 24.9%. Tourism authorities have set a 2026 target of 3 million visitors, and January’s figure already accounts for about 9.2% of that goal, offering a solid start to the year.

The number of foreign tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka rose by 4.2% year-on-year to 258,928 in December 2025, slowing from a 15.6% growth in the previous month. The marginal increase was due to the widespread destruction in the island after Cyclone Ditwah, which affected about 269 tourists. However, December arrivals were 2.3% higher than the 253,169 recorded in 2018, the last year before Sri Lanka’s tourism sector was hit by a series of shocks including the Easter attacks, the pandemic, and protests. Among key source markets, India remained the largest, accounting for 22% of total visitors in December, followed by Russia (11%), the United Kingdom (8%), and Germany (6%). Considering the full year of 2025, total tourist arrivals reached 2,362,521, up 15.1% from a year earlier but still short of the government’s 3 million target.