📈 Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals Recover 8.3% YoY in May; YTD Nears 1 Million

Provisional data from the SLTDA shows a strong recovery in tourism, narrowing previous declines as the country nears a major milestone. • Overall Figures: Sri Lanka welcomed 113,755 tourists between May 1 and 24, reflecting an 8.31% YoY growth compared to 105,026 arrivals in the same period last year. Daily averages rose to 4,740 (vs. 4,376 in 2025), peaking at 7,310 arrivals on May 23. • Year-to-Date (YTD) Impact: Cumulative arrivals reached 990,032, narrowing the overall YTD decline to a marginal 1.2% YoY. The industry is now on the verge of crossing the 1 million visitor milestone for 2026. • Top Source Markets for May: India secured its position as the dominant source country, bringing in 46,998 visitors (41% of the monthly share). Other key contributors for the month included the UK (7,287), China (7,250), Germany (5,782), and Australia (5,167). • Cumulative YTD Shares: On a cumulative basis, India leads with 236,916 arrivals (24% share), followed closely by the UK at 96,132 (10% share) and Russia at 75,816 (8% share).