July 12, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka recorded a solid increase in workers’ remittances in June, providing a boost to foreign exchange inflows, although earnings from the tourism sector continued to weaken, according to the latest figures released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
Workers abroad remitted US$695 million during June 2026, representing a 9.3 per cent increase compared with the US$635.7 million received in the same month last year. However, inflows eased from the exceptionally strong US$847 million recorded in May, indicating a moderation after the previous month’s performance.
Over the first six months of the year, remittances reached US$4.60 billion, marking a robust 23.2 per cent increase from the US$3.74 billion recorded during the corresponding period in 2025. The continued growth underscores the important contribution of overseas Sri Lankan workers to the country’s external finances.
In contrast, tourism earnings continued to soften. Revenue from the sector stood at US$151.1 million in June, falling from US$155.7 million in May and remaining below the US$169.5 million earned in June last year.
For the January to June period, tourism generated US$1.51 billion, reflecting an 11.8 per cent decline from the US$1.71 billion reported during the same period in 2025. Tourist arrivals also edged lower, with 1.15 million visitors arriving during the first half of the year, a marginal decline of 1.8 per cent compared with the corresponding period last year.
The Central Bank also reported that Sri Lanka’s gross official reserves were provisionally estimated at US$6.45 billion at the end of June. The figure includes funds available under the currency swap arrangement with the People’s Bank of China, which continues to support the country’s external reserve position.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan rupee depreciated by 7.9 per cent against the US dollar on a year-to-date basis as of 10 July 2026, highlighting the ongoing pressure on the local currency despite improvements in certain foreign exchange inflows.