Government targets 3 Million Tourist Arrivals in 2025 in new revival
By: Staff Writer
March 28, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is optimistic about achieving its ambitious goal of 3 million tourist arrivals in 2025, following a strong start to the year. The country welcomed over 700,000 foreign visitors in the first quarter, with more than 200,000 arriving in the first 27 days of March alone. This represents a 13% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
As of the latest figures, year-to-date (YTD) arrivals have surpassed 690,000, with March alone contributing 198,982 tourists in its first 26 days. This marks a 14% year-on-year (YoY) increase.
Despite the overall growth, weekly arrivals have shown a declining trend, with numbers decreasing from 53,113 in the first week to 34,771 in the last five days of the month. However, analysts predict that March will end with over 235,000 arrivals, pushing cumulative visitor numbers beyond 720,000.
The peak winter tourism season is nearing its end, but concerns have been raised over the government’s delay in launching its much-anticipated global promotional campaign and free-visa scheme for 39 countries. Industry experts believe these measures are crucial to boosting summer bookings and sustaining momentum in the sector.
To meet its target of 302,803 arrivals for March, Sri Lanka needs an additional 103,821 visitors in the final days of the month, averaging 20,764 tourists per day. Last year, March saw a total of 209,181 arrivals, a significant increase from 125,495 recorded in 2023.
The daily average number of arrivals has risen from 6,756 in March 2024 to 7,384 in March 2025, although a month-on-month comparison shows an 18% decline.
India remains Sri Lanka’s largest source market, contributing 111,982 visitors YTD, followed by Russia with 90,225 and the United Kingdom with 64,711. In March alone, India accounted for 32,879 arrivals, Russia 25,864, and the UK 17,453.
With the tourism sector rebounding strongly, stakeholders are confident in reaching the 3 million visitor target and surpassing $5 billion in earnings for 2025. Key factors driving this growth include strategic marketing efforts, improved infrastructure, increased airline connectivity, and enhanced safety measures.
In 2024, Sri Lanka recorded 2.05 million visitors, generating over $3.2 billion in revenue—a 52.38% YoY increase. Industry leaders are hopeful that continued investment and strategic initiatives will further solidify Sri Lanka’s position as a top global tourist destination.
