Rising arrivals fail to lift September tourism revenue

• Data through September shows the country earned US$ 182.9 mn
• Muted growth in revenue, despite higher arrivals, points to either the spending patterns of visitors or the profile of tourists visiting Sri Lanka, or both

Sri Lanka’s tourism earnings were largely unchanged in September 2025 from a year earlier, despite a rise in visitor numbers, suggesting slower per-night spending.

Data through September shows the country earned US$ 182.9 million from tourism, compared with US$ 181.0 million in September 2024. In August, earnings had reached US$ 258.9 million, reflecting seasonal fluctuations in the sector.

The muted growth in revenue, despite higher arrivals, points to either the spending patterns of visitors or the profile of tourists visiting Sri Lanka, or both.

In September, the island welcomed 158,971 tourists, up from 122,140 in the same month last year.

In 2024, Sri Lanka received 2,053,465 visitors, generating US$ 3.17 billion in tourism earnings. The country had initially expected 3.0 million arrivals in 2025 but now projects 2.4 to 2.6 million visitors. Corresponding revenue expectations of US$ 5 billion are also unlikely to be met by year-end.

With September earnings, total tourism income for the first nine months of 2025 stands at US$ 2,472.9 million, up 5.3 percent from the same period last year. Sri Lanka is entering its peak season, which could drive faster growth in arrivals.

The country continues to maintain a strong global profile as a preferred travel destination, regularly featured in international travel publications. However, industry stakeholders say achieving full-year targets may be challenging without a nationwide branding and global marketing campaign, set to be launched in January 2026.

Sri Lanka aims to attract 5 million tourists and generate US$ 10 billion in tourism earnings by 2030.