Sri Lanka tourism crosses 400,000 arrivals mark; February momentum builds

• First 12 days of February draw 124,460 visitors; daily average tops 10,000
• India and UK lead traffic as traditional markets shift; YTD total hits 401,787

Sri Lanka’s tourism industry has maintained its upward trajectory in 2026, surpassing the 400,000 cumulative arrival mark within the first two weeks of February, driven by a consistent influx of visitors from traditional source markets. 

According to the latest provisional data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, the country welcomed 124,460 tourists during the first 12 days of February alone. This performance pushed the year-to-date (YTD) total to 401,787, underscoring a strong start to the year. Daily arrivals averaged 10,372 during the period under review, signaling robust demand during the peak winter season.

The momentum observed in early February suggests the industry is well-positioned to exceed the monthly figures recorded a year ago. If the current daily arrival average of over 10,000 holds for the remaining 16 days, Sri Lanka could likely end February 2026 with approximately 290,000 arrivals. 

This would represent a substantial increase compared to the 240,217 arrivals recorded in the full month of February 2025 and marks a continued acceleration from the 277,327 arrivals recorded in January 2026. Sustained growth is critical if the destination is to achieve its ambitious target of 3 million tourist arrivals for the calendar year.

An analysis of the source markets reveals a notable shift in the composition of travellers compared to the same period last year. While India remains the dominant primary market, contributing 18,819 arrivals or 15 percent of the total traffic during the first 12 days of February, the dynamics among European markets have evolved. 

The United Kingdom has solidified its position as the second-largest source market with 14,513 arrivals (12 percent), followed by Germany with 10,556 arrivals (8 percent). This contrasts with the market hierarchy observed in February 2025, where the Russian Federation held the second spot behind India with a 12.6 percent share, while Germany trailed at 7.2 percent.

The Russian Federation, while still a vital volume generator, slipped to the fourth position in the rankings for the first 12 days of the month, contributing 9,815 tourists. This reshuffling highlights a surge in Western European interest, further evidenced by France securing the sixth spot with 7,230 arrivals. Meanwhile, China has continued its recovery, ranking as the fifth largest source market with 8,306 arrivals, representing a 7 percent share—an improvement from the 4.9 percent share it held in February of the previous year.

The year-to-date figures further consolidate these trends, with the United Kingdom and the Russian Federation remaining key pillars of Sri Lanka’s tourism recovery alongside India. 

Cumulatively, from January 01 to February 12, 2026, India has generated 70,880 arrivals, followed by the UK with 44,053 and Russia with 36,949. As the industry moves toward the shoulder season, maintaining the current run rate will be essential to mitigating the traditional dip in arrivals and staying on course for the annual targets. 

(NF)