FINANCIAL CHRONICLE – Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange revenue from tourism in January 2026 decreased by 5.6 percent compared to the same month in the previous year, amounting to US$378.5 million, according to data from the central bank, referencing information from the tourism promotion authority.
Tourism revenue in Sri Lanka has been on a downward trend since August of the previous year, following a revision by the relevant authority that lowered the daily spending estimates for tourists, officials have noted. January’s revenue decline marks the fifth drop in the past seven months, with decreases observed in July and August, followed by slight increases in the subsequent two months.
This reduction in January’s revenue from tourism, which constitutes nearly 3 percent of Sri Lanka’s economy, occurred despite a 9.7 percent increase in tourist arrivals, which reached 277,327 during the month.
Sri Lanka has set an ambitious target of achieving 3 million tourist arrivals in 2026. In 2025, the country generated US$3.22 billion in tourism revenue, reflecting a 1.6 percent increase from US$3.17 billion in the previous year. Tourist arrivals in 2025 rose by 15.1 percent compared to the previous year, with the number of foreign visitors reaching 2,362,521, up from 2,053,465.
Tourism accounted for nearly 5 percent of Sri Lanka’s economy at its peak in 2018. However, the sector has faced challenges due to the violent Easter Sunday suicide attacks in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and a subsequent unprecedented economic crisis.
The tourism earnings figures are derived from a survey conducted by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. The daily spending per tourist was reduced to US$148 from US$171 since August of the previous year, based on a new survey.
The increase in tourism earnings has led to a gradual rise in Sri Lanka’s imports and merchandise trade deficit, as individuals in the sector spend their wages and other earnings. (Colombo/February 07/2026)
