Sri Lanka surpassed the 1 million mark in international tourist arrivals for 2025 as of May 23, according to data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).
This milestone was reached nearly a month earlier than in 2024 and marks a return to pre-pandemic levels last seen in 2018.
Between 1st of January and 25th of May, the country recorded 1,006,097 tourist arrivals, with 109,213 visitors arriving in the first 25 days of May.
The daily average for May stood at 4,376 arrivals, reflecting the seasonal dip typical during the April–June off-peak travel period.
The 1 million milestone was last achieved in May 2018, and in 2024 it was reached in June, highlighting the tourism sector’s steady recovery.
Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath acknowledged the achievement on social media, expressing gratitude to all stakeholders for their support.
Unlike previous years, there was no formal ceremony or recognition for the milestone visitor, although a celebration may be held for the 2 millionth arrival later in the year.
Last year, the 1 millionth tourist came from Ireland, and the 2 millionth was from Thailand.
India remained Sri Lanka’s top source market in May, contributing 35.8% of arrivals, followed by the UK (7%) and China (6.5%).
Other significant markets included Germany, Bangladesh, Australia, France, the U.S., Russia, and Canada.
As of May 25, Sri Lanka has achieved 33.5% of its 2025 target of 3 million tourist arrivals.
