Sri Lanka recorded 183,979 tourist arrivals in March 2026, marking a significant decline compared to the same period last year. The figure reflects a 19.7% drop from March 2025 and a 21.2% decrease compared to March 2018, indicating a slowdown after strong growth earlier in the year.
The decline has been largely attributed to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted travel plans from key tourist markets. This downturn contrasts sharply with the performance in January and February 2026, which recorded strong year-on-year growth.
According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, January saw 277,327 arrivals and February recorded 279,328 arrivals, both showing notable increases compared to previous years. Despite the March dip, total tourist arrivals for the first quarter of 2026 reached 740,634.
India remained the top source market in March, followed by the United Kingdom, Russia, China, and Germany, with several other countries including Australia, France, the United States, Japan, and Bangladesh also contributing to visitor numbers.
Overall, while early 2026 showed strong momentum for tourism, the sharp decline in March highlights emerging external challenges impacting the sector.
