SL Tourist Arrivals Cross 1.5M Mark Amidst Growth Slowdown 📈

• Overall Figures & Targets: Sri Lanka welcomed 1.51 Mn tourists YTD (Jan 1–Aug 27), down 1.9% YoY from 1.54 Mn in 2025. Figures remain 4.1% below pre-pandemic 2018 levels (1.58 Mn). Authorities face pressure to secure 1.18 Mn arrivals over the final four months to meet the 2.7 Mn target for 2026. Full-year revenue is targeted at US$ 4.2 Bn (vs. US$ 3.2 Bn in 2025). • August Performance: August arrivals (first 27 days) fell 2.84% YoY to 173,878 visitors. Average daily arrivals declined to 6,440 from 6,626 in 2025. Peak daily arrival for the month stood at 7,732 on August 8. • Top Source Markets (YTD): • India: 380,011 • UK: 148,598 • China: 99,875 _(Other key markets include Russia, Germany, Australia, and France)._ • Top Source Markets (Aug 1–27): • India: 41,781 • UK: 18,197 • China: 11,368 • Germany: 10,465 • France: 10,333 • Sector Outlook: The tourism sector has stabilized following steep declines earlier in the year but needs roughly 295,700 arrivals per month in Q4 to bridge the gap. Medium-term targets aim for over 3 Mn visitors in 2027 and US$ 10 Bn in annual revenue by 2030.