Sri Lanka's Tourist Arrivals Reach 767,434 by April 5, 2026, Adding 26,800 Visitors in Early April, Following Q1's 740,634 Amidst Middle East Conflict

A slight revision to the March 2026 tourist arrival data indicates a 19.8% decline compared to March 2025, adjusting from the previously reported 19.7%. This updated figure is based on March 2025 arrivals totaling 229,298.

New data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority reveals that 26,800 tourists arrived in the country during the first five days of April 2026 (April 1-5). This brings the total tourist arrivals for the period from January 1 to April 5, 2026, to 767,434. For the first five days of April, India was the leading source market with 7,562 visitors (28%), followed by the UK (2,854), Australia (2,794), Russia (1,623), China (1,537), and Germany (1,090). Cumulatively from January 1 to April 5, the top source markets were India (154,835), the UK (81,274), and Russia (67,541).

New data reveals that Sri Lanka's tourist arrivals in March 2026 totaled 183,979, marking a significant 19.7% decline compared to March 2025 and a 21.2% decrease from March 2018. This downturn is primarily attributed to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. For March, India was the leading source market with 47,533 visitors (26%), followed by the UK (18,092), Russia (15,685), China (14,064), Germany (13,429), and France (8,359). The total tourist arrivals for the first quarter of 2026 (January 1 to March 31) reached 740,634. Additionally, January 2026 recorded 277,327 arrivals, showing a 9.7% increase from January 2025.