November 2025 arrivals push total visitors to Sri Lanka beyond 2.1 million YTD
212,906 tourist arrivals in November 2025 were 15.6% higher over that of the 184,158 visitors for the same month last year. It was also 8.9% above the number of tourists who arrived during November 2018.
Indian tourists made up 24.1 % of arrivals this November with 51,391, while 24,953 (11.7%) came from the Russian Federation. UK tourists totaled 16,915 (7.9%), German tourists were 14,518 (6.8%), whilst arrivals from Australia were 9,384 (4.4%), followed by 9,217 (4.3%) tourists From China. France, Poland, the US and Spain made up the rest of the ‘Top 10’ list, with 8,549 (4%), 5,331 (2.5%), 5,284 (2.5%) and 4,666 (2.2%), tourists, respectively.
Total arrivals for the first eleven months (Jan –Nov) in 2025 registered 2,103.593, overhauling in the process the total 2,053,465 that arrived to Sri Lanka in 2024 year (Jan -Dec).
India led the way as the No.1 provider of arrivals to Sri Lanka, with 474,796 – representing 23% of the total arrivals to Sri Lanka thus far in 2025. 191,742 visitors from the UK keeps it in 2nd place, with the Russian Federation’s 158,593 placing it 3rd. Germany (131,259), China (121,671), France (101,771), Australia (94,667), Netherlands (59,589), United States (57,449), and Bangladesh (55,110), make up the top ten source markets for the period 01st January to 30th November 2025, in that order.
The island needs another 230,203 arrivals in December 2025 to equal the total 2,333,796 visitors who arrived during the record breaking benchmark year of 2018. The current upward trajectory of arrivals since September should see it cross the 2.4 million total arrivals’ figure by 2025 year-end.
Whilst this would be the highest number of tourist visitors Sri Lanka has welcomed in a year, thus setting a new record – it would nevertheless fall short of the revised annual ‘Conservative Scenario’ target of 2.67 million arrivals.
Sri Lanka Tourism development Authority (SLTDA) has revised the per day revenue from tourists to USD 148 in August, from USD 171, according to a top Central Bank official. The revised per day revenue estimate is based on a survey, after identifying some weaknesses in estimating the per day spending.
So even though Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals are likely to go beyond that of 2018, in terms of revenue it is not going to reach the 2018 level. In all probability it may edge closer to last year’s earnings levels, where the island nation earned 3.17 billion US dollars revenue in 2024. Sri Lanka’s new government has aimed at ambitious 5 billion US dollar revenue and a 3 million arrival target this year – both of which will remain unattainable.
Hospitality Sri Lanka
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