COLOMBO, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's tourism earnings increased modestly in 2025, even as the country recorded a notable rise in tourist arrivals, according to Central Bank of Sri Lanka data.
Earnings from tourism amounted to 3.22 billion U.S. dollars in 2025, compared to 3.17 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, recording a year-on-year growth of 1.6 percent. During the same period, tourist arrivals rose to more than 2.36 million in 2025, up from 2.05 million arrivals in 2024, reflecting a 15.1 percent year-on-year increase.
Based on these figures, average earnings per tourist declined in 2025. Tourism earnings per visitor were estimated at approximately 1,363 U.S. dollars in 2025, compared to about 1,543 U.S. dollars per tourist in 2024.
The data suggest that while Sri Lanka attracted a larger number of tourists in 2025, the increase in arrivals did not translate into a proportionate rise in foreign exchange earnings from the sector.
Tourism remains one of Sri Lanka's key foreign exchange earners alongside workers' remittances and merchandise exports, at a time when the country continues to focus on rebuilding external buffers. ■