Sri Lanka races towards record arrivals in April

• Records 896,884 arrivals with 14.3% YoY increase in first four months, surpassing previous high in 2018, but falls short of highest 907,575 in 2019
• April arrivals up 17.3% YoY to 174,698
• Daily arrivals pick up YoY in April, but declines on month-on-month basis
• Misses ambitious forecast of 224,710 monthly target by 50,102 while trailing 2018’s by mere 5,821 tourists
• India, Russia and UK emerge top source markets during Jan.-April
• Analysts opine despite strong recovery in numbers and renewed global interest, Sri Lanka still faces uphill climb to achieve 3 m arrivals and $ 5 b revenue target

By Charumini de Silva

Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is maintaining its roaring growth momentum in 2025, attracting nearly 900,000 visitors at the end of its first four months, outpacing the performance for the same period in the industry’s best year of 2018—but lagging behind record haul of 907,575 in 2019.

The country welcomed over 174,608 tourists in April, marking a 17.3% year-on-year (YoY) growth, pushing the cumulative arrivals to 896,884, which registered a 14.3% YoY increase— reinforcing the industry’s steady upward 

trajectory in 2025.

April 2025 also posted the second-highest number of tourists for the month in the last eight years, surpassed only by April 2018, when arrivals hit a record 180,429. Despite the positive momentum in April, it fell short of its monthly target of 224,710 arrivals, missing the mark by 50,102 visitors or by 30%. The total also trailed 2018’s benchmark by a slim margin of 5,821 tourists.

The latest tourism data highlighted that April arrivals reflect a 24% drop from March 2025, which saw 229,298 tourists. This decline is partly seasonal, as April traditionally experiences a dip in arrivals following the peak travel season during winter.

In April, there is an encouraging increase in the daily average arrival rate with around 5,820 arrivals—up from 5,516 in April 2024, However, in a month-on-month comparison, daily arrivals saw a decline from 7,397 in March to 5,820 in April 2025, indicating potential challenges in maintaining consistent growth.

India remained the leading source market for April, contributing 38,744 tourists or 22.2% of the total. The UK followed with 17,348, while Russia added 13,525 visitors. Germany, Australia, and China also featured prominently among top contributors.

India continues to dominate year-to-date (YTD) arrivals with 157,059 visitors, followed by Russia with 107,093, and the UK with 87,053, whilst Germany and France round out the top five YTD contributors.

Industry analysts opined that although these figures show strong recovery and renewed global interest, Sri Lanka still faces an uphill climb.

“To reach the ambitious annual target of 3 million visitors and $ 5 billion in revenue, the country must attract more than 2.1 million tourists over the next eight months. This means monthly arrivals would need to average over 262,000—a steep increase compared to the current average of 224,000 visitors,” they pointed out.

Recent analyses, including from First Capital Research, suggest that Sri Lanka may fall short of the 2025 target by around half a million tourists unless significant new momentum is achieved. With global conditions improving and marketing efforts intensifying, tourism authorities remain hopeful. But the data suggest that achieving the full-year goals will require exceptional performance in the upcoming months, particularly during the peak travel periods in mid- and late-2025.

First Capital Research predicts Sri Lanka may miss its 2025 tourism target by around half a million due to a slower-than-expected recovery in tourist arrivals, especially during the off-peak months. Their analysis suggests that unless arrivals accelerate significantly in the coming months, the country may fall short of the 3 million goal. The forecast also reflects concerns over global economic conditions, regional competition, and potential geopolitical or travel disruptions.