Sri Lanka’s tourism sector is steadily rebounding, recording 896,884 tourist arrivals by the end of April 2025. While this figure signals post-pandemic growth, it falls significantly short of expectations, trailing the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority’s (SLTDA) forecast by over 247,000 arrivals for the first four months of the year.
The SLTDA had projected 1.14 million arrivals between January and April, but the actual numbers reflect a 21.6 percent deficit. Despite a 17.3 percent year-on-year (YoY) growth in April alone, when 174,608 tourists visited the country, the pace of recovery remains insufficient to meet the ambitious target of three million arrivals for the year.
Sri Lanka now faces the daunting task of attracting an additional 2.1 million visitors between May and December to meet its annual goal. This pressure underscores the urgent need for the government to accelerate its delayed global tourism promotion campaign and diversify beyond its traditional source markets.
Each month in the January–April period saw consistent underperformance. January recorded 252,761 arrivals (17.3 percent below forecast), February brought in 240,217 (22.7 percent below forecast), March followed with 229,298 (24.3 percent below forecast), and April’s 174,608 arrivals were 22.3 percent below forecast and still 5,821 short of pre-crisis levels from 2018.
India led as the top source market in April, contributing 38,744 arrivals and showing a 41.8 percent YoY growth. The United Kingdom secured the second position with 17,348 arrivals, reflecting a 31.7 percent increase. Russia slipped to third place with 13,525 arrivals, marking a 10.4 percent decline. Germany held steady in fourth with 11,654 arrivals, and Australia climbed to fifth with 10,744 arrivals and a remarkable 49.2 percent growth.
On the downside, the United States experienced a significant 24.6 percent drop in tourist numbers. Meanwhile, Bangladesh emerged as the fastest-growing market, recording 4,202 arrivals in April and totaling 20,029 visitors from January to April—a 139 percent YoY increase, securing eighth place overall.
While Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is clearly on the path to recovery, hitting the three million target will demand bold strategies, effective marketing, and continued resilience from industry stakeholders.