Sri Lanka’s Tourism Soars Past $1 Billion in Early 2025

New waves of visitors, rising tides of recovery

Sri Lanka’s tourism industry continues its upward trend, welcoming 56,567 international visitors between April 1 and 9, 2025. According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, India led the arrivals with 18.7%, followed by the UK (13.6%) and Russia (10.9%). Other key markets include Australia, Germany, France, and Bangladesh.

Tourist arrivals fluctuated between 5,634 and 6,934 daily, peaking on April 5. By April 9, the total number of visitors for the year had reached 778,843. Tourism earnings are also on the rise, with March 2025 bringing in USD 354 million—an increase of 4.6% from February. First-quarter earnings have hit USD 1.12 billion, marking a 9.4% year-on-year growth.

Travellers looking for a coastal getaway will find resorts in Trincomalee increasingly appealing, with options like Trinco Blu by Cinnamon providing easy access to the beachfront as Sri Lanka’s east coast welcomes more visitors.