Sri Lanka’s tourism sector recorded a strong start to June 2025, with tourist arrivals in the first five days rising by 35.92% year-on-year to 21,293, compared to 15,666 during the same period last year.
Despite this surge, the country may still fall short of its ambitious monthly target. If the current average daily arrival rate of 4,259 continues, the projected total for June would be around 127,758—falling nearly 50,000 short of the official forecast of 177,257 arrivals.
This challenge reflects a broader pattern seen throughout the year. From 1st of January to 5th of June Sri Lanka recorded 1,051,096 tourist arrivals, yet still trailed projections by 279,452. Even so, the sector showed signs of recovery, surpassing pre-crisis 2018 figures in January, February, and May.
India remained the top source market during early June, contributing 28.2% (6,014 tourists) of total arrivals, followed by the UK (1,884), China (1,277), Maldives (1,173), and Australia (985). Notably, Russia—Sri Lanka’s second-largest market so far in 2025—was absent from the top ten due to the seasonal suspension of charter flights.
The tourism industry now looks toward the upcoming global promotional campaign, set to launch on 27th of June with hopes that it will boost arrivals in the latter half of the year, especially during the peak winter season.
