Sri Lanka has experienced a strong surge in tourist arrivals, surpassing 600,000 visitors in the first half of March 2025. This growth enhances confidence in the country’s ambitious goal of attracting 3 million tourists by year-end.
As of mid-March, Sri Lanka recorded 613,728 visitor arrivals year-to-date (YTD), reflecting a 16% year-on-year (YoY) increase compared to 2024. A total of 120,750 tourists arrived in the first 16 days of March, with the daily arrival average rising to 7,547, up from 6,526 during the same period last year. However, this figure is slightly lower than February’s daily average of 8,863.
Despite the positive trend, Sri Lanka still needs 182,053 more arrivals in the next 15 days to meet the 302,803 target for March. The tourism industry also fell short of its targets in January and February, raising concerns about whether March will perform better.
India remains the leading source market with 19,317 visitors in March, followed by Russia (16,562), Germany (10,982), the UK (10,866), and France (9,031). Cumulatively, India leads with 98,420 arrivals, followed by Russia (80,953) and the UK (58,124).
Industry experts stress the need for the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) to roll out its delayed global marketing campaign alongside the free-visa initiative to sustain growth. They also urge authorities to leverage Sri Lanka’s international travel rankings in their promotional efforts, particularly to attract visitors during the off-season.
With a $5 billion revenue target for 2025, Sri Lanka’s tourism sector must maintain this momentum to achieve its annual goals.