February tourist arrivals soar to new high

Tuesday, 4 March 2025 03:42 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka welcomes 240,217 visitors, pushing YTD figure to 492,978
Surpasses 238,924 tourists achieved in February 2018 but falls short of record figure of 252,033 in 2019
Registers 10.01% YoY increase, 2% compared to February 2018
Daily average arrivals surge to 8,579 from 8,154 in January 2025; higher than 7,044 in February 2024
Misses monthly target for second consecutive month, as February falls short by 70,720 visitors
India, Russia and UK emerge as top source markets

Sri Lanka’s tourism has maintained its strong momentum in 2025, welcoming over 240,000 visitors in February, surpassing the performance for the month in the industry’s best year of 2018 but lagging behind record haul of 252,033 in 2019.

The 240,217 February arrivals pushed the year-to-date (YTD) tourist numbers to 492,978, reinforcing the sector’s steady growth and setting expectations high for continued growth.

The latest figures represent a 10.01% year-on-year (YoY) increase compared to February last year and a 2% improvement over 2018, which was previously considered a benchmark year for the industry.

The latest data also showed that the average arrivals also climbed to 8,579 compared to 8,154 in January 2025, and higher than the 7,044 registered in February 2024.

However, February arrivals fell by 5.22% compared to January 2025, indicating a slight month-on-month dip despite an overall strong performance.

On a weekly basis, the country saw a steady flow of international travellers, which gradually declined by the end of the month. The month saw a steady influx in visitor numbers, with the first week registering 61,664 tourists, 63,163 in the second week, 59,606 in the third week, and 55,784 travellers in the final week.

This reflected February’s total falling short of its monthly target of 310,937 visitors by 70,720 or 29.44%.

Among the top source markets, India retains its position as the top contributor, bringing in 35,728 tourists, followed by Russia with 30,295, the UK with 25,528, Germany with 17,233, and France with 15,469 visitors. Other key contributors during the month included China, Australia, Poland, the US, and the Netherlands.

India also emerged as the leading market YTD with 79,103 arrivals, followed by Russia with 64,391, and the UK with 47,258 travellers.

Sri Lanka Tourism has set an ambitious target of 3 million visitors for 2025, aiming to generate $ 5 billion in revenue. In comparison, 2024 saw 2.05 million arrivals, bringing in $ 3.2 billion — marking a 52.38% YoY increase in revenue.

The industry has already shown promising signs this year, with January 2025 generating $ 400.7 million, reflecting a 17.2% growth compared to the same period a year ago.

As the winter season continues till the end of March, the industry remains optimistic about achieving its 2025 goals.

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