First eight days of October draw over 26,000 tourists 

•  Aims for an ambitious 147,789 monthly target 
•  Cumulative arrivals reach over 1.04 m mark 
•  India remains top source market followed by Russia, UK, China and Germany 

Sri Lanka is off to an encouraging start in October, welcoming a total of 26,272 tourists within the first eight days of the month. 

This surge in arrivals is setting a positive tone for the ambitious monthly target of 147,789 arrivals. This recent influx of visitors has propelled the cumulative figure for the year to over 1.04 million, establishing a strong foundation for continued growth in 2023. However, observing the current trend, industry analysts anticipate it is important to draw over 35,000 per week to achieve the monthly target. Among the top source markets, India leads the pack with 6,293 arrivals, followed by Russia with 2,352, the United Kingdom with 1,904, China with 1,900, and Germany with 1,679. Additionally, tourists from Australia, Maldives, the US, Spain, and the Netherlands have also contributed to the thriving tourism influx, as per provisional data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. In year-to-date statistics, India maintains its position as the foremost source market for Sri Lanka, accounting for 20% of cumulative arrivals at 206,603. 

Russia follows closely with 13% and 134,652 arrivals, while the UK holds steady at 9% with 92,474 arrivals. The tourism sector plays a pivotal role in the economy, contributing nearly 5% of its GDP. The industry remains optimistic about achieving its revised target of hosting 1.55 million visitors and generating over $ 3 billion in income for the year 2023.