Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange earnings from tourism rose 1.5 percent year-on-year in September 2026 to US$185.6 million, according to figures cited by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.
This increase in revenue occurred despite a 0.3 percent decline in tourist arrivals for the month, reflecting an ongoing divergence between visitor numbers and earnings.
Tourism Revenue and Arrivals Performance in 2026
The total tourism revenue generated in the first nine months of 2026 decreased by 9.2 percent to US$2,245.2 million compared to US$2,472.9 million recorded in the same period of 2025. In parallel, tourist arrivals fell 1.8 percent during the same
timeframe.
June 2026 marked the lowest monthly tourism revenue for Sri Lanka in 32 months. Monthly earnings had been generally declining since October 2025 following revisions by the government-owned tourism promotion authority to the calculations of average daily spending and duration of stay per visitor.
Revised Methodology and Targets for Tourism Earnings
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority adjusted its methodology for estimating monthly tourism earnings in May 2026, applying these changes retroactively to data from January 2026. The revision aimed to enhance the accuracy and representativeness of tourism revenue statistics.
As part of adjustments to expectations, Sri Lanka lowered its 2026 tourist arrival target from 3
million to 2.7 million and cut the tourism revenue target to US$4.2 billion from an initial goal of US$5 billion.
Performance Metrics for 2025
Sri Lanka’s tourism sector reported US$3.22 billion in revenue in 2025, representing a 1.6 percent increase from US$3.17 billion in 2024. Foreign visitor arrivals rose 15.1 percent to a record 2,362,521 in 2025 from 2,053,465 in 2024.
Historical Context and Sector Challenges
At its peak in 2018, tourism contributed nearly 5 percent of Sri Lanka’s economy. However, the sector has suffered from multiple major setbacks including the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide bombings, the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, and the country’s subsequent economic crisis. These events have
negatively affected arrivals and revenue recovery.
The tourism development authority bases its monthly earnings estimates on survey data collected from the sector.
