📈 Winter Booking Window at Risk as Sri Lanka Tourism Delays Marketing Drive to Sept

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) has deferred its interim overseas promotional drive from August to 1 September 2026, launching first with an Australian roadshow followed by key source markets. Industry stakeholders warn that a September rollout leaves minimal time to capture crucial winter season bookings, particularly for long-haul European markets. • Arrivals & Trends • Total Arrivals: Reached 1,436,929 visitors by 13 August 2026 (down from 1,467,694 in 2025). • August Performance: Fell 5.9% YoY to 93,511 during the first 13 days of August (vs 99,406 in 2025). • July Performance: Recorded a 1.7% YoY decline to 196,845 arrivals. • Top Source Markets (YTD) • India: 358,608 arrivals (key growth buffer). • United Kingdom: 140,892 arrivals. • China: 94,890 arrivals. • Interim & Long-Term Strategy • Interim Campaigns: Rolling out sequentially in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and the UK, followed by India, China, Russia, France, South Korea, and the Netherlands. • Global Campaign: Rs. 3.5 Bn global destination branding campaign remains on track for late 2026 or early 2027 to drive national targets of 5 million arrivals and US$ 8 Bn in earnings by 2030.