Sri Lanka has revised its 2025 tourism target to a minimum of 2.6 million visitors, down from a previous goal of 3 million. The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) believes this figure is more feasible as the country strengthens its position as a leading South Asian travel destination. SLTDA Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam stated that meeting this aim would still be a historic achievement for the island nation.
As of mid-September 2025, Sri Lanka has received 1.66 million visitors, producing around USD 3.4 billion in revenue. Tourism arrivals have been steadily increasing throughout the year, indicating a strong recovery momentum for the sector.
Sri Lanka is also shifting its attention away from competitiveness and towards collaboration with neighbouring countries, particularly the Maldives. Both countries are developing collaborative tourism activities, like cross-promotional campaigns and improved connectivity, to attract a larger share of international travellers. The Maldives is one of Sri Lanka’s top ten tourist source countries, making it an ideal partner for producing multi-destination packages.
This initiative is consistent with a larger South Asian goal to combine resources and promote the region as a single tourism destination.
