Skift Take
Through a combination of targeted promotions, improved airline services, and strategic visa policies, Sri Lanka is inching closer to its goal of attracting 2.5 million tourists this year.
Sri Lanka's tourism industry is witnessing a resurgence. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka reported that earnings from tourism soared to over $1.5 billion in the first half of 2024, marking a 78% increase year-on-year.
Tourist arrivals hit 1.01 million, up 62% from the same period in 2023. By June 2024, tourism earnings had climbed to $151.1 million, a 23% increase year-on-year, despite a slight month-on-month decline.
The $1.5 billion revenue surge in the first six months is important, especially considering it took Sri Lanka 10 months last year to reach $1.59 billion in tourism earnings from 1.1 million arrivals. The tourism sector’s earnings exceeded $2 billion in 2023.
Tourism arrivals peaked in 2018 in Sri Lanka, when 2.5 million tourists spent $4.4 billion in the country.