August 04, Colombo (LNW): Fresh questions have arisen over the accuracy of official claims on Sri Lanka’s tourism revenue, following a striking discrepancy between recent remarks made by Minister of Tourism Vijitha Herath and figures released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).
During the inauguration of a newly built meditation hall at the Seetha Amman Temple in Nuwara Eliya—a key religious site popular among Indian visitors—Minister Herath confidently stated that the country had generated US$ 3.7 billion from tourism in the first six months of 2025.
He further suggested that a comparable amount could be anticipated in the latter half of the year, aligning with the government’s broader target of drawing three million tourists by year-end.
However, the Central Bank’s most recent report paints a different picture. According to its data, tourism-related earnings for the January–June 2025 period totalled just US$ 1.71 billion, reflecting a moderate 10% rise compared to the US$ 1.56 billion recorded over the same stretch in 2024. The Minister’s figure, therefore, appears to overstate actual earnings by nearly US$ 2 billion.
This notable inconsistency has prompted speculation as to whether the Minister inadvertently included projected income or unverified sources in his statement, rather than relying on confirmed figures.
Industry observers have called for greater clarity and alignment in official communications, particularly as Sri Lanka looks to tourism as a cornerstone of its economic recovery strategy.
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