Tourist arrivals poised to shatter 2018 record following Christmas surge

 Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) gets a festive makeover for the season

• Christmas Day sets new record with 11,111 arrivals as year-to-date total nears 2.3 million
• Industry likely to surpass 2018 historical peak while missing ambitious growth targets
• Indian market dominance continues with over 519,000 arrivals fuelling the year-end surge

By Nishel Fernando

Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is on the verge of a historic milestone as year-end arrivals move within striking distance of the all-time high recorded in 2018, according to the latest data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). 

As of December 25, the country has welcomed a total of 2,298,987 tourists for the year, significantly outpacing the 2,053,465 total recorded for the entirety of 2024. With just six days remaining in the year, the industry needed fewer than 35,000 additional arrivals to surpass the historical benchmark of 2,333,796 set in 2018, a feat that now appears highly probable given the current daily momentum.

The performance in December has been characterized by a sharp acceleration in visitor traffic, successfully overcoming early-month disruptions. During the first week of the month, arrivals stood at 43,976, which rose to 49,054 in the second week. However, the third week saw a major jump to 61,579 arrivals, and the momentum has only intensified during the Christmas period. 

Between December 22 and 25 alone, over 40,785 visitors entered the country, with Christmas Day recording a 2025 single-day peak of 11,111 arrivals. This festive surge has pushed the average daily arrival rate for the month to 7,816, though the current daily pace in the final week is exceeding 10,000 visitors.

A comparative analysis shows that while the industry is likely to break the 2018 record, it will likely fall short of the SLTDA’s initial “Lower Scenario” projection of 2,415,000 for the year. To reach that target, the country would need to attract nearly 20,000 visitors per day for the remainder of December, which is significantly higher than the current peak. 

Nevertheless, the 2025 performance represents a robust recovery, with the total number of tourists as of late December already surpassing the 2,103,593 recorded at the end of November. The year-on-year growth remains strong, with December 2024 having concluded with a total of 248,592 monthly arrivals.

India remains the dominant force in Sri Lanka’s tourism recovery, contributing 519,816 visitors year-to-date, followed by the United Kingdom with 207,510 and the Russian Federation with 178,743. Other key markets showing resilience include Germany, China, and France, which have all contributed over 100,000 arrivals each so far this year. Industry stakeholders noted that the shift in source market dynamics has been critical in stabilizing the sector’s recovery trajectory, providing an essential lifeline for the country’s economic stability.

Looking ahead to the final days of 2025, projections suggest that Sri Lanka will conclude the year with approximately 2,360,000 arrivals, provided the current post-Christmas travel trend holds steady. While this would officially establish 2025 as the new “Best Year” for Sri Lankan tourism in terms of volume, the focus for 2026 is expected to shift toward increasing the average spend per tourist.

Sri Lanka to welcome 2.3 millionth tourist today 

Sri Lanka’s tourism sector is set to celebrate a major milestone today, with the official arrival of the 2.3 millionth tourist of the year at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). 

The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) announced that a special press conference will be held at the airport premises in the morning today to mark the event. 

The event will be attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, alongside Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe.