Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange earnings from workers’ remittances and tourism have exceeded USD 4.5 billion by mid-2024.
Workers’ remittances reached USD 2,822.6 million from January to June 2024, marking an 11.4% year-on-year increase. June alone saw remittances of USD 964.2 million.
Tourism revenue hit USD 1,556.6 million, reflecting a 77.9% increase compared to the same period in 2023. The sector aims to achieve 2.5 million arrivals and over USD 2.5 billion in revenue by year-end. Tourist arrivals by June 2024 were 1,010,249, up 61.7% from the previous year.
The Sri Lankan rupee appreciated by 6.6% against the US dollar up to July 19, 2024, with foreign currency reserves standing at USD 5.6 billion by June-end.