Sri Lanka is approaching the one-million tourist arrivals mark for 2026, with 990,032 visitors recorded so far this year, according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).
A total of 113,755 foreign tourists entered the country during the first 24 days of May, the authority said. The figure remains below the 132,919 arrivals recorded for the full month of May 2025, underlining the slower pace that has persisted through the year amid the Middle East conflict.
India remained the leading source market for the period with 46,998 visitors, followed by the United Kingdom (7,287), China (7,250) and Germany (5,782).
The country crossed 900,000 arrivals on May 9 and had passed 950,000 by May 20, putting the million milestone within reach before the end of the month. Arrivals reached 858,000 across the first four months of the year after a soft April.
While arrival numbers have held up, earnings have lagged: April tourism revenue fell 39 percent year on year, reflecting shorter stays and lower per-visitor spending as regional tensions weigh on the sector.
