Sri Lanka tourist arrivals pass 850,000 in 2026
(Photo by Mosharraf Hossain on Unsplash)
More than 850,000 tourists arrived in Sri Lanka during the first four months of 2026, according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).
The SLTDA said Sri Lanka recorded strong tourist arrivals in January and February this year, before arrivals declined in March and April.
According to the Authority, 277,327 tourists arrived in January 2026, while 279,328 tourists arrived in February 2026. The SLTDA said these figures showed significant growth compared to both 2025 and 2018.
However, tourist arrivals dropped to 183,979 in March 2026. The SLTDA said the sudden decline was mainly due to the war situation in the Middle East region.
The number fell further in April 2026, with only 117,893 tourists arriving in the country.
Despite the decline in March and April, Sri Lanka recorded a total of 858,527 tourist arrivals by the end of April 2026.
The SLTDA further said the highest number of tourists arrived from countries including India, the United Kingdom, Russia, China and Germany.
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