May 27, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s tourism industry has marked a major milestone, with over one million international visitors arriving in the country by late May—reaching the symbolic figure significantly earlier than in the previous year.
This uptick reflects a broader resurgence in global travel and the island nation’s continuing appeal as a holiday destination, despite ongoing economic and infrastructural challenges.
Data issued by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) indicates that, as of May 25, 2025, a total of 1,006,097 visitors had arrived in the country since the beginning of the year.
This represents a notable improvement from 2024, when the one million mark was only crossed in July.
The accelerated pace of arrivals this year offers a hopeful signal to the hospitality and services sectors, many of which have been working to recover from the disruptions of recent years.
The month of May alone has contributed over 109,000 arrivals, with India continuing to dominate as the largest source market. During the first 25 days of May, 39,070 Indian nationals visited Sri Lanka, accounting for nearly 36 percent of the monthly influx.
The United Kingdom followed with 7,661 visitors, with 7,139 tourists coming from China. Germany and Bangladesh also featured prominently, with 6,143 and 5,637 visitors respectively.
When viewed cumulatively, India has sent 196,129 tourists to Sri Lanka in the first five months of 2025, making it the most robust contributor to the island’s tourism revival. Russia and the United Kingdom also remained strong markets, with 110,043 and 94,714 visitors respectively.
Analysts note that this surge is being supported by a combination of factors, including improved regional connectivity, targeted marketing campaigns, and a growing appetite amongst global travellers for culturally rich and nature-based destinations.
The government’s push to improve visa facilitation, coupled with the relative affordability of Sri Lanka compared to other destinations in the region, has further enhanced its competitiveness.
However, despite the buoyant numbers, challenges remain. Infrastructural bottlenecks at the main international airport, ongoing concerns over healthcare service delivery, and occasional labour unrest in the tourism and transport sectors have the potential to undermine visitor experiences if not addressed promptly.
Industry leaders continue to urge policymakers to match the promotional momentum with sustained improvements in airport capacity, hospitality standards, and environmental sustainability.
Tourism remains a key foreign exchange earner for Sri Lanka, and the rapid rise in arrivals this year is expected to boost revenues across multiple sectors, from hotels and transport services to small-scale handicraft businesses.
With the traditional peak season approaching later in the year, authorities are hopeful that the country could exceed 2.5 million tourist arrivals in 2025 if current trends continue.
