Tourist arrivals cross 900,000 milestone for first time since 2019

• Provisional data from SLTDA reveals 900,708 tourists have visited the country as of Aug.30
• India leads tourist traffic, contributing 19% of total arrivals, followed by Russia at 14%, and the UK at 9%.
• Sri Lanka aims to conclude the year with 1.5mn tourists

Sri Lanka tourism reached a new milestone on Wednesday with over 900,000 international visitors having visited the island nation.

As of August 30, Sri Lanka welcomed a total of 900, 708 tourists, provisional data from Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) showed.

Year 2023 marks the first instance since 2019 where Sri Lanka has exceeded the 900,000 mark in tourist arrivals.
From 2020 to 2022, the island nation saw tourist arrivals hit rock bottom, firstly due to the global pandemic, and then the economic and political crisis that brought country’s economy to a grinding halt.
Sri Lanka also crossed the 100,000 tourist arrivals mark for the seventh time this year with the month of August recording 132, 795 international visitors.

However, despite the increase in rate of tourist arrivals, the island nation will fail to meet the monthly tourist arrivals target set for August. SLTDA aimed to lure in at least 149, 075 international visitors by August 31.
After August 26, the daily arrival average dropped sharply from the levels of about 4,400 to about 3, 100.
India holds the top position as the largest contributor to tourist traffic, accounting for 19 percent of the total arrivals this year.

The Russian Federation stands at second place, accounting for 14 percent of the arrivals, whereas the UK ranks third bringing in 9 percent of the total tourist arrivals.
Sri Lanka hopes to end the year with 1.5 million tourists.