According to data released by the tourism development authority, Sri Lanka experienced a modest increase in tourist arrivals, rising by 4.2% compared to the previous year, with a total of 258,928 visitors in December 2025. This growth occurred despite the widespread devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Throughout 2025, the total number of tourist arrivals reached 2,362,521, marking a 15.1% increase from the prior year. However, this figure fell short of the nation’s goal of attracting 3 million visitors. The December arrival figures also represented a 2.3% increase from the 253,169 tourists recorded in 2018, before Sri Lanka’s tourism industry faced several disruptions, including the Easter attacks, the global pandemic, and widespread protests.
In December, visitors from India constituted 22% of the total, amounting to 56,715 tourists. The Russian Federation contributed 27,987 visitors, making up 11% of the arrivals. Additionally, there were 20,535 tourists from the UK, 16,707 from Germany, and 14,820 from Australia. China accounted for 10,364 visitors during this period.
Cyclone Ditwah, which struck on November 28, impacted approximately 269 tourists, as reported by Sri Lanka Tourism. (Colombo/Jan5/2026)
