Tourist arrivals reach 846,221 by April 20, nearly 15% rise

Sri Lanka welcomed 846,221 tourists as of April 20 this year, translating to a 14.5 percent year-on-year (YoY) growth, up from 739,171 tourist arrivals recorded during the same period last year.

This growth trajectory is further underscored by a 19.9 percent YoY surge in arrivals during the first 20 days of April 2025 (123,945 tourists), compared to April 2024 (103,387 tourists).  

Despite the positive momentum, Sri Lanka faces a steep climb to meet its annual target of three million tourists. With only 846,221 arrivals by April 20, the country must attract an additional 2.15 million visitors over the remaining eight months, which is an average of 269,000 monthly. Historically, arrivals dip during the May-September lean season, prompting the authorities to prioritise off-season promotions. 

The government, along with the tourism authorities, plans to boost the monthly arrivals to a minimum of 250,000 during the lean period, through targeted campaigns in key source markets, emerging markets and enhanced air connectivity. This focus aligns with the efforts to mitigate seasonal fluctuations, as seen in 2024, when the arrivals from May-October averaged just 136,000 per month.  

While the January-April 2025 performance has outpaced 2024, Sri Lanka faces a strong price competition from the regional players. The government plans to initiate more activities for tourists in Colombo and other hotspots, including night markets, cultural festivals and other events, to attract off-season travellers.

The long-awaited global promotion campaign is also expected to kick off from the end of this month, under a unified nation brand.

During the first 20 days of April, India remained the largest source market, contributing 20 percent of arrivals in April 2025 (24,776 tourists), followed by the UK (11.3 percent) and Russia (8.8 percent).

Germany, Australia, France, China, Bangladesh, the Netherlands and United States were among the top 10 markets in this period.

In terms of cumulative arrivals, India continued to dominate, with 143,091 arrivals, followed by 104,441 arrivals from Russia and 83,765 arrivals from the UK. Bangladesh emerged as the fastest-growing market, with over 120.8 percent YoY growth in arrivals in this period. Among the top 10 source markets, arrivals from China declined the most.