Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals increased by 14.7% in the first 16 days of March 2025, reaching 120,750 visitors, according to data from the state statistics office. Year-to-date arrivals have grown by 15.4%, totaling 613,728 visitors.
India led the arrivals up to March 15, contributing 19,317 visitors (16%), followed by the Russian Federation with 16,562 visitors (13.7%). The United Kingdom recorded 10,866 visitors (9%), while France accounted for 9,031 arrivals. China contributed 6,260 visitors, making up 5.2% of total arrivals.
Sri Lanka’s winter tourism season from Western Europe typically begins to decline after March. So far in 2025, India remains the top source market with 98,420 visitors, followed by the Russian Federation (80,953) and the UK (58,124). The continued increase in arrivals highlights Sri Lanka’s strong recovery as a key tourism destination.