Economy

Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals surpass 2 million in 2024

Published

1 year ago

December 26, 2024

Sri Lanka has welcomed its 2 millionth tourist who arrived from Bangkok this year, at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), after a five-year gap.

This marks the fourth time in history that annual tourist arrivals have surpassed 2 million, with previous instances occurring in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Deputy Minister of Tourism Ruwan Ranasinghe and Chairman of the Tourism Promotion Bureau Buddhika Hewawasam were at the airport to greet the milestone tourist.

A special ceremony was also organised by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau at the Silk Route Lounge of the BIA to mark the occasion.

According to statistics, 195,127 tourists have arrived in Sri Lanka in the first 26 days of December, with expectations to exceed 250,000 by December 31. February 2019 was the only month to have seen more than 250,000 tourist arrivals.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism said that the country’s tourism sector, which had been severely impacted by the 2019 Easter attacks, the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing economic crisis, is now experiencing rapid growth following the new government’s efforts.

The Ministry said that the government had addressed issues related to online visas for foreign tourists. In addition, steps have been taken to ensure the safety of tourists and resolve challenges faced by travel service providers.

According to the Ministry, a total of 515,192 tourists have visited Sri Lanka during the past three months.

Furthermore, the new government has introduced free visa facilities for citizens from 39 countries and is working towards its goal of attracting 3 million tourists by 2025.

Source – Daily Mirror

Economy

Sri Lanka Postal Service achieves record revenue

Published

5 days ago

January 12, 2026

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Sri Lanka’s postal service has recorded a remarkable turnaround in 2025, surpassing revenue targets set by the Treasury and signalling a major revival after years of stagnation.

Postmaster General Ruwan Sathkumara said the Department of Posts generated Rs. 13.1 billion last year, exceeding the revenue target assigned for 2025.

He highlighted that the past year also saw wide-ranging reforms, including large-scale recruitments, confirmations of long-serving staff, infrastructure upgrades, and investments in technology and transport to improve efficiency and service delivery.

According to Sathkumara, 378 Sub-Postmasters received permanent appointments in June 2025—the first confirmations for the category since 2020. In September, the appointments of 1,000 Postal Assistants were regularised, marking the first such confirmations since 2022.

The Postmaster General added that recruitment is underway to hire 600 Postal Service Officers through open competition, with appointments expected in February 2026.

Economy

Sri Lanka ranked most affordable place to live or retire in 2026

Published

6 days ago

January 11, 2026

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International Living magazine has identified the five most affordable places to live or retire in 2026, which scored the highest in the cost-of-living category of its 2026 Global Retirement Index.

It evaluated retirement destinations across climate, healthcare, visa and lifestyle, along with cost.

Sri Lanka ranked top of the list due to affordable local transportation and easy-to-obtain retirement visas. A couple can live extravagantly on $2,200 (£1,637) a month, or on $1,000 (£744) with some budgeting.

In second place is Vietnam, with the average cost of living in Hanoi sitting at under $1,800 (£1,339) per month. Rent is low and healthcare is affordable.

Thailand was ranked third, because a couple can live comfortably for around $2,000 (£1,488) a month in cities such as Chiang Mai or coastal towns such as Hua Hin. These both have affordable housing, and accessible services and transportation.

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Economy

Sri Lanka Secures €188M Debt Relief from Germany

Published

1 week ago

January 10, 2026

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Sri Lanka has signed a bilateral agreement with the Federal Republic of Germany as part of its ongoing external debt restructuring process, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to restore debt sustainability and revive its economy.

The agreement, concluded after bilateral discussions following the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Official Creditor Committee (OCC), provides for rescheduling outstanding debts, offering critical relief to Sri Lanka during its economic recovery phase.

The signing ceremony took place at the Ministry of Finance, where Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, signed on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, while Ms. Sarah Hasselbarth, Chargé d’Affaires a.i., represented the Federal Republic of Germany.

The estimated rescheduled debt under this agreement amounts to €188 million.