T20 World Cup Weekend Drives Surge in Sri Lanka Tourism 📈

Sri Lanka welcomed 159,339 foreign tourists in the first 15 days of February 2026, with a massive spike recorded over the T20 World Cup weekend. • Overall Arrivals: - First 15 days of February: 159,339 - Year-to-Date (YTD) total: 436,666 - First 12 days saw 124,460 arrivals, a 19% YoY increase. • World Cup Weekend Impact (Feb 13–15): - Total Weekend Arrivals: 34,879 - Friday (Feb 13): 11,201 - Saturday (Feb 14): 12,565 - Sunday (Feb 15): 11,113 (Match Day: India vs. Pakistan) • Sector Highlights: - Aviation & Hospitality: Colombo hotels reached full capacity; room rates surged from ~$150 to $660/night. Airfares from major Indian cities rose over 50%. - High-Net-Worth (HNW) Travel: 15 private jets landed at BIA over the weekend, reflecting strong demand in the luxury travel segment. - Sports Tourism: The high-profile cricket fixture acted as a major catalyst, particularly attracting visitors from India, the top source market. • Top Source Markets (YTD): 1. India: 78,157 arrivals 2. United Kingdom: 47,347 arrivals 3. Russia: 39,741 arrivals Based on provisional SLTDA data. 🇱🇰