Sri Lanka’s economy continues to show signs of recovery with a significant rise in foreign inflows, as workers’ remittances surged by 18.2% year-on-year during the first five months of 2025. According to data released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), remittances totaled over $3 billion from January to May, up from $2.62 billion during the same period last year. In May alone, the country received $641.7 million in remittances.
This upward trend signals a growing confidence among Sri Lankan expatriates, and plays a vital role in strengthening foreign exchange reserves and easing pressure on the balance of payments.
In parallel, the tourism sector also reported solid growth. Tourism earnings for the first five months of 2025 reached $1.54 billion, marking a 9.8% increase compared to $1.40 billion recorded during the same period in 2024. The boost comes on the heels of new global promotional campaigns and a resurgence in international travel.
These twin inflows—remittances and tourism—are expected to provide critical support to Sri Lanka’s economic recovery strategy in the coming months.