Wednesday Dec 31, 2025
Wednesday Dec 31, 2025
Wednesday, 31 December 2025 00:28 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam
Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam yesterday expressed confidence that the momentum built in 2025 would carry into the coming year, projecting 3 million tourist arrivals and $ 5 billion in tourism revenue in 2026, supported by stronger demand, improved connectivity and renewed investor interest.
Speaking on the year-end performance, he said Sri Lanka officially surpassed its previous record of tourist arrivals from 2018 on 29 December, seven years after the benchmark was first set.
“We hope to end 2025 with around 2.35 million arrivals and a revenue in the range of $ 3–4 billion,” Hewawasam said, confirming that the island has delivered a historic recovery year despite multiple shocks.
He described the achievement as a significant milestone, particularly given the series of crises the country has endured, including economic turmoil and the recent Cyclone Ditwah.
“This year made it historic and December will also have its highest arrivals too,” Hewawasam said, noting that the year-end momentum had remained intact even after the cyclone.
He said the sector’s rapid rebound following Cyclone Ditwah was especially noteworthy. “Despite the scale of the natural disaster, Sri Lanka recorded no tourist casualties or complaints, which he said helped reinforce international confidence in the destination,” he added.
According to Hewawasam, Sri Lanka’s 2025 performance represents a growth of about 7–8% compared to the 2018 peak year, underlining the strength of the recovery rather than a mere return to pre-crisis levels.
With arrivals expected to close around 2.35 million, the outcome aligns closely with the revised lower-end forecasts for the year, after the original target of 3 million tourists and $ 5 billion in earnings was scaled down.
He stressed that tourism remains key to Sri Lanka’s broader economic revival, highlighting its role as a key source of foreign exchange, employment generation and investment attraction.
“We hope the benchmark set by this year will be a springboard for better 2026,” Hewawasam said, signalling optimism that the industry is entering a more stable and expansionary phase after years of disruption.
