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Sri Lanka records nearly 1.5 million tourist arrivals so far in 2026
Sri Lanka records nearly 1.5 million tourist arrivals so far in 2026
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Sri Lanka recorded 155,331 tourist arrivals during the first 23 days of August, taking the total number of international visitors received so far in 2026 to nearly 1.5 million, according to the latest data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).

 

A total of 1,498,749 tourists arrived in Sri Lanka between January 1 and August 23, 2026.

 

India continued to be Sri Lanka’s largest tourism source market, with 36,590 Indian tourists visiting the country during the first 23 days of August. They accounted for approximately 24% of total arrivals during the period.

 

The United Kingdom ranked second, contributing 16,688 arrivals, while China recorded 10,294 tourist arrivals.

 

India has also maintained its position as the leading source market for the year as a whole, with 374,820 arrivals recorded between January 1 and August 23.

 

The UK followed with 147,089 arrivals, while China contributed 98,801 tourists during the same period.

 

The latest figures indicate continued strong tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka, with India, the UK and China remaining among the country’s key international tourism markets.

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