Sri Lanka welcomed a remarkable 25,966 tourists from October 1 to 6, 2024, indicating a strong trajectory for monthly arrivals heading towards a record high. The total number of arrivals for 2024 has now reached 1,510,774, surpassing the previous year’s total of 1,487,303.
In a notable trend, Chinese tourists have moved to the second position in arrivals for the first time this year, with 2,437 visitors, following India, which accounted for 7,749 arrivals (29.8% of the total market). Germany has dropped to third place with 1,737 arrivals, while the UK recorded 1,661 visitors.
As the winter season approaches, European markets are anticipated to dominate arrivals, potentially leading to a record year for tourism in Sri Lanka, surpassing the previous best set in 2018. Experts suggest that the current crisis in the Gulf region is unlikely to significantly affect local tourism, as there have been no reports of cancellations so far.