Friday May 15, 2026
Friday May 15, 2026
Wednesday, 13 May 2026 11:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lanka’s tourism sector has crossed the 900,000-visitor mark for 2026, offering cautious optimism toward the Government’s ambitious 3 million arrival target, despite signs of weakening momentum amid global travel uncertainty.
Latest figures from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) show that the country welcomed 922,883 tourists from January through 10 May, reflecting a marginal 2.22% year-on-year (YoY) decline compared to the same period last year.
However, arrivals in May have begun to soften, with the first 10 days of the month recording 46,606 visitors, down 0.76% YoY. Average daily arrivals also slipped to 4,661, compared with 4,691 during the corresponding period last year. The highest single-day arrival for the month was recorded on 1 May, when 5,656 tourists entered the country.
The latest slowdown comes as the ongoing US-Israel conflict involving Iran continues to weigh on global aviation networks, travel sentiment and long-haul booking patterns, particularly across key transit routes used by Sri Lanka.
India remained Sri Lanka’s largest source market in early May, contributing 18,533 visitors, accounting for 40% of total arrivals during the first 10 days of the month.
On a year-to-date (YTD) basis, India has contributed 208,445 visitors, or around 23% of total arrivals, followed by the United Kingdom with 91,362 arrivals or 10% and Russia with 74,628 or 8%.
Looking ahead, the SLTDA has outlined three possible growth scenarios for May, with projected arrivals ranging from 150,894 under a lower-bound estimate to 205,126 under an optimistic scenario.
In a move expected to support tourism recovery, Parliament on 7 May approved regulations under the Immigration and Emigration Act, clearing the way for visa-free entry for travellers from 40 countries, a policy expected to improve Sri Lanka’s competitiveness as a global tourism destination and support stronger visitor inflows in the months ahead (https://www.ft.lk/front-page/Parliament-approves-free-visa-access-for-40-countries-in-major-tourism-push/44-791641).
