📈 Sri Lanka Tourism: Over 67,000 Arrivals in First 8 Days of 2026

Sri Lanka’s tourism sector has started the year with strong momentum, recording 67,762 international arrivals between January 1 and January 8, 2026. This performance follows a record-breaking 2025, where the country welcomed 2.36 million visitors. • Overall Figures The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) reported a peak daily arrival of 9,275 tourists on January 6. The government is currently targeting a minimum of 3.0 million arrivals for the full year 2026. • Top Source Markets India continues to lead as the primary source of visitors, followed by traditional European strongholds and Australia: • India: 11,367 (17.0% of total) • Russia: 8,425 • United Kingdom: 6,067 • Germany: 5,306 • Australia: 3,285 • Economic Context The steady influx of tourists is vital for foreign exchange liquidity. While 2025 saw record volume, the industry is focusing on increasing high-yield travel as the average daily spend per tourist was recently adjusted to US$ 148. A visa-free scheme for select countries is expected to roll out in Q1 2026 to further boost these numbers.