Winter tourists enjoy their holiday in Sri Lanka

– Pic by Pradeep Pathirana

• Welcomes 39,415 visitors in first five days of Jan., up from 32,453 during same period in 2024
• Daily arrivals soar to 7,883 compared to 6,491 per day last year
• Russian tourists drive surge in arrivals so far followed by India, UK
• Targets 3 m visitors and $ 5 b in revenue for 2025
• Industry awaits launch of unified national brand this month to boost global appeal

By Charumini de Silva

Sri Lanka’s tourism industry kicks off 2025 with nearly 40,000 arrivals in the first five days of the year, reflecting a strong start.  The 39,415 arrivals in the first five days represent a significant increase compared to 32,453 tourists welcomed during the same period in 2024.

This surge reflects a growing momentum for the sector, boosted by an influx of Russian tourists who led the charge in early 2025. The latest data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) shows that daily arrivals have also improved to 7,883 compared to 6,491 per day during the same window last year – reflecting a noteworthy progress in footfall.

Breaking down the top markets in the first five days of January 2025, Russia led with 6,481 arrivals, followed closely by India which contributed 6,183 tourists.

The UK ranked third, adding 2,928 to the growing influx of holidaymakers. Other notable markets contributing to the positive trend include Germany, Australia, the US, Poland, France, China, and the Netherlands.

Sri Lanka Tourism has set ambitious goals for 2025, aiming to attract 3 million visitors and generate $ 5 billion in revenue. The long-term vision targets 5 million annual arrivals and $ 8.5 to $ 10 billion in earnings by 2030.

Although the industry narrowly missed its 2024 target of 2.1 million arrivals – closing the year with over 2.05 million tourists – it registered the third highest arrivals Sri Lanka ever recorded, highlighting the resilience of the private-sector-led industry amidst local and global challenges.

In November 2024, Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam announced that it is set to unveil a unified national brand this month instead of going ahead with campaign taglines, aiming to redefine the country’s global tourism appeal and achieve a higher return on investment (RoI).

“We plan to finalise the creative assets for the new campaign by December 2024, with the full-scale rollout set for January and peak promotional activities scheduled for May 2025,” he told the Daily FT.

With steady growth in key markets, a vision for expansion, and a brand launch for global appeal, industry leaders remain positive about reclaiming its position amongst the top travel destinations in the world.