December Tourism Picks Up, but Year-End Target Looks Steep

Sri Lanka’s tourism sector gathered momentum in December, welcoming 154,609 visitors in the first 21 days of the month and pushing year-to-date arrivals beyond 2.25 million, according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).

Arrivals showed steady week-on-week growth as the peak season unfolded. The first week of December recorded 43,976 tourists, rising to 49,054 in the second week. The third week saw a sharper increase to 61,579 visitors, lifting the daily average for the period to 7,362 arrivals, a clear improvement on early-month trends.

India continued to lead as Sri Lanka’s largest source market, contributing more than half-a-million arrivals so far this year, followed by the UK and Russia.

Despite the positive momentum, meeting December’s target of 344,309 arrivals remains challenging. With nearly 189,700 visitors needed in the final 10 days, daily arrivals would have to more than double, underscoring the gap between targets and historical performance.

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