1.7 million visitors so far, and Australians are near the top

Tourism is running slightly behind last year’s record. The busy winter season is about to start.

More than 1.7 million tourists had visited Sri Lanka this year by 4 October, according to Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority figures reported by the Daily FT. That is 1,717,028 arrivals, about 2% behind the pace of 2025, which ended as a record year with 2.36 million.

Who is coming

India is by far the biggest market, with 447,476 visitors so far this year, followed by the UK and China. In the first four days of October, Australia was the third-largest source of visitors, with 1,266 arrivals, behind India and China.

Where it is heading

The government’s original target was 3 million visitors in 2026. The tourism authority’s revised forecasts now range from about 2.38 million to 2.60 million. At the lower end, that would only just beat last year’s record.

Heading home for the holidays?

The winter season, roughly December to March, is when hotels, flights and the south coast fill up. If you are planning a December trip from Melbourne, book early.

Source: Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority data, as reported by the Daily FT, 6 October 2026.