Tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka fell marginally in July 2026, continuing a downward trend that has seen visitor numbers drop significantly in the first half of the year compared to 2025.
Sri Lanka received 196,845 tourists in July 2026, representing a decline of 1.7 percent from the 200,244 visitors recorded in the same month last year, according to official data. While the monthly decrease was modest, it reflects ongoing challenges in the tourism sector that have intensified throughout 2026.
India maintained its position as the leading source of visitors with 44,547 arrivals, accounting for approximately 23 percent of total July tourists. The United Kingdom and the Netherlands followed as the second and third largest source markets, contributing 21,834 and 12,493 visitors respectively. Through the first seven months of 2026, the island has hosted 1,146,573 international tourists.
The broader picture reveals more significant deterioration in Sri Lanka's tourism performance. June 2026 experienced a steeper decline, with arrivals falling 9.9 percent year-on-year. During the first six months of 2026, total arrivals dropped to 1,146,573 compared to 1,168,044 in the corresponding period of 2025. The financial impact has been equally concerning, with tourism earnings falling 10.8 percent in June to 151 million dollars, according to central bank data. For the first half of 2026, tourism revenue declined by 11.8 percent to 1,511 million dollars relative to the same period in 2025.
