Arrivals cross 50,000-mark in first 10-days of September

Sri Lanka’s tourism sector has started September on a high note, welcoming over 52,000 tourists in the first ten days of the month, a significant 27.2 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024. 

This early success continues the positive momentum seen throughout the year, further solidifying the industry’s recovery. The growth has been largely propelled by a consistent influx of visitors from India, which continues to be the dominant source market.

The 52,246 arrivals recorded between September 1st and 10th, 2025, represent a substantial gain from the 41,080 tourists who visited during the corresponding period last year. 

This strong performance has also pushed the cumulative arrivals for the year to over 1.61 million, keeping the industry on track to surpass the total arrivals of the previous year. 

An analysis of the source markets for the first ten days of September reveals that India accounted for 27.4 percent of the total arrivals, with 14,300 tourists. The United Kingdom followed with 7.8 percent of the share, while Germany, China, and Australia also featured in the top five.

While the early September figures are promising, this optimism is tempered by the government’s recent acknowledgement of the difficulty in reaching its ambitious 3 million arrival target by the end of the year. 

Further adding to industry’s woes, the much-anticipated global promotion campaign and the unveiling of a new national brand have been postponed until next year. This delay removes a critical tool the industry was counting on to significantly boost arrivals during the crucial final quarter, making the required acceleration in growth an even greater challenge.