Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange revenue from tourism reached $169.5 million in June 2025, marking a 12.1 percent increase compared to the same month last year, according to data released by the Central Bank, citing figures from tourism promotion authorities.
In comparison, tourism revenue in June 2024 stood at $151.1 million.
The newly elected government has set an ambitious target for 2025, aiming to generate $5 billion in revenue and attract 3 million tourist arrivals by the end of the year.
During the first six months of 2025, the country recorded $1.71 billion in tourism earnings—an increase of 10 percent compared to $1.56 billion in the corresponding period of 2024.
In the full year of 2024, tourism revenue reached $3.17 billion, representing a significant 53.2 percent rise from the $2.07 billion earned in 2023.
Tourist arrivals have also shown strong growth. In the first half of 2025, arrivals rose by 15.6 percent year-on-year, with 1,168,044 foreign visitors recorded, compared to 1,010,249 during the same period last year.
In total, Sri Lanka welcomed 2.05 million tourists in 2024, a 38.1 percent increase from the previous year. However, the country fell short of its ambitious 2024 goals of 2.3 million arrivals and $5 billion in revenue.
Tourism has historically been a vital sector for Sri Lanka, contributing nearly 5 percent to the country’s GDP during its peak in 2018. The industry has since faced multiple setbacks, including the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks, the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and an unprecedented economic crisis that followed.
Tourism earnings are estimated based on data collected through surveys conducted by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).
Officials noted that the sector’s recovery has also contributed to a gradual improvement in imports and the merchandise trade deficit, as tourism income circulates through the economy, particularly in the form of wages and related expenditures.
