Sri Lanka sees strong growth in tourist arrivals in early May 2025

Sri Lanka’s tourism industry recorded a healthy increase in tourist arrivals during the first 13 days of May 2025, showing a 21.53% rise compared to the same period last year.

According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), the country welcomed 59,755 tourists between May 1 and May 13, 2025. This is a sharp increase from 49,167 arrivals during the same period in 2024.

India played a major role in this growth, contributing 18,812 visitors, or 31.5% of the total. This means nearly one in three tourists during this period came from India.

Other leading source countries included:

• Germany: 4,447 arrivals (7.4%)
• United Kingdom: 4,256 arrivals (7.1%)
• China: 3,930 arrivals (6.6%)
• Australia: 2,817 arrivals (4.7%)

Tourist numbers from Russia were lower, with only 1,912 arrivals, mainly due to the lack of charter flights this summer.

From January 1 to May 13, 2025, Sri Lanka received a total of 956,639 tourists. This shows a 14.73% increase compared to 833,818 arrivals in the same period last year.

India continues to be the top contributor with 175,871 visitors so far this year. Russia follows with 109,005, and the UK with 91,309 arrivals.

Despite the positive trend, Sri Lanka has achieved only about 32% of its ambitious target of three million tourists in 2025. To meet this goal, the country must attract over two million more visitors in the remaining months of the year.

Experts say that the full impact of the planned free-visa program and global promotion campaign is yet to be seen.