FINANCIAL CHRONICLE – Sri Lanka aims to attract 3.0 million tourists by 2026, supported by enhanced marketing efforts, according to Buddika Hewawasam, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. This target follows the country reaching nearly 2.4 million visitors in 2025.
Hewawasam stated in a video message, “We are aiming to reach 3 million tourists and generate 5 billion dollars in revenue. This may be a challenging figure.”
Initially, Sri Lanka had set a target of 3 million tourists for 2025 but later adjusted this goal to 2.4 million. Despite the impact of Cyclone Ditwah in early December, tourist arrivals showed a significant increase towards the end of the month.
“This year, we spent minimally on our marketing campaign,” Hewawasam explained. “We did not engage in extensive marketing or global campaigns. We achieved this number (close to 2.4 million) by effectively targeting specific market segments.”
He added, “However, next year, we plan to invest more in marketing.”
A comprehensive destination marketing campaign, similar to those in East Asia, has been a long-standing request from leading hotels in the region.
(Colombo/Dec31/2025)
