Sri Lanka Tourism Earnings Drop 38.8% in April Amidst 22.3% Decline in Arrivals

Sri Lanka's tourism sector faced a significant setback in April, with arrivals dropping by 22.3% compared to the previous year. Data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) indicates that 135,643 tourists visited in April 2026, a decrease from 174,608 in April 2025. For the first four months of 2026, tourist arrivals fell by 2.3% to 876,277, down from 896,884 in the same period last year. Concurrently, tourism revenue also saw a notable decline, with earnings for the first three months of 2026 falling 15% to USD 954 million from USD 1122.3 million in the prior year. Reports suggest that geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and subsequent flight restrictions may be contributing factors to this downturn.