The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority says tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka have surpassed the 850,000 mark so far this year.
According to the SLTDA, 277,327 arrivals were recorded in January and 279,328 in February, showing a significant increase compared to the same periods in both 2025 and 2018.
However, tourism growth slowed in March 2026, with arrivals dropping to 183,979. Authorities attribute the decline to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and its impact on global travel patterns.
Meanwhile, only 117,893 tourists arrived in April, according to the SLTDA.
Despite the recent slowdown, total tourist arrivals for 2026 had reached 858,527 by the end of the first quarter.
The SLTDA noted that the largest number of visitors this year came from India, United Kingdom, Russia, China, and Germany.
