06.03.202600:42:32UTC+00Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals Hit New Record Peak

Foreign tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka rose 16.2% year-on-year to a record 279,328 in February 2026, accelerating from a 9.7% increase in January. Daily data show that February 12 recorded the highest single-day arrivals of the month at 12,731 visitors, underscoring the effectiveness of the country’s recent tourism development initiatives. India remained Sri Lanka’s largest source market, supplying 47,679 tourists and accounting for 17% of total arrivals, reaffirming the strength of cultural and regional ties. Other major contributors were the United Kingdom (11%), Russia (8%), Germany (8%), and China (7%). Over the first two months of 2026, total foreign tourist arrivals reached 556,655, up 12.9% from the same period a year earlier.