Speaking at an event held at the Seeta Amman Kovil in Nuwara Eliya, the Minister added that an additional $3.7 billion in revenue is expected by the end of the year.
Highlighting the importance of religious tourism, Minister Herath noted that Indian nationals make up the largest group of visitors to Sri Lanka, with many arriving for religious purposes. Popular sites such as the Koneswaram Temple and Kataragama are particularly favored among them.
“That is a major strength for us. As you know, we were economically bankrupt. To recover from that situation, we need to rapidly develop the tourism industry. We are working toward that goal,” he said.
So far this year, 1.3 million tourists have visited the country, and the government is targeting a total of 3 million arrivals by the end of 2025, the Minister added, noting that progress toward that goal is encouraging.
