May tourist arrivals hit record high, industry questions earnings

• Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath hails record May influx of 145,745 travellers, up 10% YoY
• June starts on a weaker note with 27,043 visitors in first week, down 14.3% YoY
• YTD arrivals down 1.02% YoY to 1.04 m

Sri Lanka’s tourism industry achieved a historic milestone in May, recording its highest-ever tourist arrivals for the month with 145,745 visitors, surpassing the previous May record of 132,919 arrivals in 2025 and registering a 9.65% year-on-year (YoY) increase.

The strong performance comes despite challenges posed by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which disrupted long-haul air traffic and increased travel costs across several key markets.

The latest data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) indicate a gradual strengthening in monthly arrival momentum after several months of relatively subdued growth.

The May performance pushed cumulative arrivals for the first five months of 2026 above the 1 million mark, reaching over 1.02 million visitors. However, year-to-date (YTD) arrivals remain marginally lower, down 1% compared to the corresponding period last year.

Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath yesterday described the achievement as a significant turning point for the industry, highlighting the recovery from pandemic-era lows.

“May 2026 is a historic milestone for Sri Lanka Tourism. With 145,745 international visitors, we have broken the all-time record for the month of May. From just 1,497 arrivals in 2021 to nearly 150,000 today, this is the result of stability, security, and smart policy. Thank you to all travellers who chose paradise island,” Herath noted via post on Facebook. 

Despite the record arrival numbers, industry stakeholders remain cautious about celebrating the milestone.

The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) President Asoka Hettigoda questioned whether the arrival statistics accurately reflect actual tourism activity and revenue generation.

“There’s something wrong with this calculation as it doesn’t add up to the actual earnings from the sector,” Hettigoda said, adding that higher arrivals have not translated into a corresponding increase in registered hotel bookings or industry earnings.

The discrepancy has reignited debate over the composition of arrivals, length of stay, spending patterns, and the extent to which visitors are using formal accommodation establishments.

Tourism earnings for the first four months of 2026 fell 19.4% YoY to $ 1.11 billion from $ 1.37 billion a year earlier. Tourism receipts in April declined 39% YoY to $ 157.1 million, marking the weakest monthly performance since 2023.

Meanwhile, the latest SLTDA figures show that tourism momentum has softened at the start of June.

Between 1 and 7 June, Sri Lanka welcomed 27,043 visitors, representing a 14.3% decline compared to 31,547 arrivals during the same period last year.

As a result, cumulative arrivals for the year exceeded 1.04 million by the first week of June, but remained 1.2% lower than the corresponding period in 2025.

India remained Sri Lanka’s largest source market, contributing 261,476 arrivals or 25% of the total, followed by the UK with 100,031 visitors (10%) and Russia with 76,332 arrivals (7%). China and Germany were also among the leading markets.

To achieve the Government’s target of 3 million arrivals in 2026, Sri Lanka must attract nearly 2 million more visitors over the next six months, accounting for around 65% of the annual goal.