SL’s February tourist arrivals hit second-highest level since 2019

4 March 2025 02:00 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 5 Bookmark

A A A

Welcomes over 240,000 international visitors, a 10.2% YoY increase
Weekly arrival average stands at 60,000, while daily arrival average reaches 8,500
India, Russian Federation and UK rank as top 3 tourist traffic generators for SL
16% of goal of attracting 3mn international visitors realised as of February

Sri Lanka’s tourism sector maintained its strong momentum in February, recording 240,217 international arrivals, the second-highest figure for the month since 2019, according to the data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.

The highest ever February arrivals were recorded in 2019, with 252,039 visitors, while 2018 ranks third, with 236,618 arrivals. The February 2025 figure reflects a 10.2 percent year-on-year (YoY) increase, although it marks a 5 percent decline from the 252,761 arrivals recorded in January 2025.

The average number of weekly arrivals in February rose to 60,054, while the daily average climbed to 8,579. India remained Sri Lanka’s top tourist source, accounting for 14.9 percent of total arrivals in February. The Russian Federation ranked second, with 12.6 percent, followed by the United Kingdom at 10.6 percent. The other key markets included Germany (7.2 percent), France (6.4 percent), China (4.9 percent), Australia (3.7 percent), Poland (3.5 percent) and the United States (2.7 percent).

Total tourist arrivals for the first two months of 2025 reached 492,978, reflecting a 15.5 percent increase, from the 426,603 recorded during the same period in 2023.

Sri Lanka aims to attract three million visitors in 2025 and according to the latest figures, it has realised 16 percent of this goal.

Comments - 5

Amaran Tuesday, 04 March 2025 07:40 AM

Thank you for this statistical details. Most of the tourists, particularly Tamil Diaspora, their spending amount is not high enough. By eating Murunga and Brinjals during their stay, the economy cannot be resurrected. Their visit is only marked as mere "arrival"

4 1

JRDW Tuesday, 04 March 2025 11:37 AM

What idiotic reply by Amaran, if you go to airport arrivals you would see if its the diaspora only coming, just for the sake of commenting dont comment,

1 5

Dave Courtney Tuesday, 04 March 2025 04:07 PM

I've been coming from the UK for Nearly 10 years now and spend a lot of money now getting Fed up with having to pay for a visa when your letting Russians who don't spend a lot and other countries who dont pay for visas All free or all pay I won't be paying my extension Visa will go to tighland where it is free lovely country but you don't know how to run tourism

0 6

Jeeves Thursday, 06 March 2025 01:09 PM

Time to stop free visas; a credible form of revenue for the government. If a tourist cannot afford $20-$30 for a visa; then unlikely to spend much money whilst here. If they are aiming for 3 million tourists; that is a great deal of money to lose.

1 1

tourist arrivals Saturday, 08 March 2025 08:46 AM

I wrote a comment earlier on this page comparing Sri Lanka's target of only 3 million foreign tourists as just peanuts to tourist arrivals in other countries in the region which is more than 10 million. But for some reason or other it wasn't published. I wonder why? There is nothing to be ashamed of. just chech it out yourself.

0 1

222

Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.