Sri Lanka’s tourism industry has surpassed the one million mark in international tourist arrivals before the end of May 2026 for the second consecutive year, according to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tourism and Foreign Employment Vijitha Herath.
Herath said the milestone follows the record-breaking performance recorded in 2025 and reflects the continued strength of the sector despite recent challenges.
Although Sri Lanka recorded a year-on-year decline in tourist arrivals during March and April, industry observers largely attributed the slowdown to the impact of the Middle East conflict and related travel uncertainties affecting global tourism flows.
“Keeping the record-breaking success of last year, 2025, the number of foreign tourists arriving in the country has crossed the million mark before the end of May for the second consecutive year,” the Minister said.
He also thanked tourism industry stakeholders and foreign visitors for their contribution to the sector.
“Our sincere thanks to all the industry members who are committed to making Sri Lanka a leading tourist destination in the world and to all the foreign tourists who have chosen our country,” he added.
India remained Sri Lanka’s leading tourist source market in 2026, contributing more than 200,000 visitors so far this year. The United Kingdom, Russia, China and Germany ranked among the other top source markets for arrivals.
Tourism continues to remain one of Sri Lanka’s key foreign exchange earning sectors, with authorities expecting the industry to maintain steady growth in the coming months.
