Sri Lanka’s tourism sector has crossed the 1.2 million visitor mark for 2026, with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) recording 1,217,956 arrivals between January 1 and July 12.
A total of 71,383 tourists visited during the first 12 days of July. The Daily FT reported this was a 3 percent decline from the 73,343 visitors logged in the same period last year, leaving year-to-date arrivals around 2 percent below the corresponding 2025 figure.
India remained the single largest source market, contributing 16,610 visitors in July alone and 310,293 for the year to date. The United Kingdom followed with 7,296 July arrivals and 115,863 year to date, while China ranked third for the year with 80,487 arrivals. Australia also featured among the top July markets with 4,656 visitors.
February was the strongest month so far in 2026, drawing 279,328 arrivals.
The milestone underscores tourism’s continued role as a key foreign-exchange earner for Sri Lanka, even as monthly volumes trail the pace set in 2025.
