Sri Lanka tourist arrivals up by over 15% in first half 2025
Sri Lanka tourism continues to show strong growth for the first half of 2025 according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). The performance highlights that the tourism sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability in recent years.
Already in 2024, the industry recorded a significant growth in tourist arrivals as the
country welcomed 2,053,465 tourists, up by 38.07% over 2023. In the first half of 2025, total international arrivals to Sri Lanka reached 1.168 million. This represents a growth of 15.62% over the first half of 2024.
All six months of 2025 recorded positive growth, with June (21.8%), January (21.4%), and May (18.5%) showing the highest percentage increases. Notably,
January and February 2025 saw the highest number of monthly arrivals respectively at 252,761 and 240,217.
The consistent growth in traditionally off-peak months such as April, May, and June indicates however a potential shift toward a more balanced year-round tourism pattern. This positive trend suggests the effectiveness of factors such as improved airline connectivity, and streamlined visa processes.
With this momentum, the SLTDA estimates that Sri Lanka is well-positioned to exceed the total arrivals recorded in 2024. While earlier projections of the SLTDA looked at 2.6 million international arrivals for the whole year 2025, the current growth points to a total of 2.45 million travelers. It would mark a strong recovery for the tourism sector..
Top markets during the first half of 2025
From January to June 2025, India maintained its position as the leading source market with 241,994 arrivals, showing a remarkable increase of over 31%. This performance underscores India’s strong regional connection, accessibility, and continued travel interest in Sri Lanka.
Russia retained its title of Sri Lanka second largest inbound market despite a slight decline from 114,104 to 112,312 arrivals.
Meanwhile, the UK showed robust growth. Total British arrivals rose from 89,352 to 107,902 arrivals up by nearly 21%, reflecting the strength of Western European markets. German visitors progressed more modestly, up by 6.4% to reach 74,576 arrivals. Germany remains however Sri Lanka fourth largest market. Chinese outbound to Sri Lanka was however down by 5% during the first half of 2025.
Another remarkable progression has been achieved by France. French outbound to Sri Lanka showed impressive growth at over 24%. Arrivals increased effectively from 49,340 to 61,457.
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