Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka have surpassed the one million-mark since the beginning of this year, according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.

The SLTDA stated that a total of 1,010,807 tourists have arrived in the country from January 1 to May 28, 2026.

It further noted that 134,530 tourists arrived during the month of May so far.

Among the May arrivals, the highest number of tourists came from India, totaling 56,063. The United Kingdom ranked second with 8,582 arrivals, followed by China with 8,439 visitors.

According to cumulative arrivals for the year, India remains the leading source market with 245,981 tourists, followed by the United Kingdom with 97,427 and Russia with 75,963.

The highest monthly arrivals so far this year were recorded in February, which saw 277,327 tourist arrivals.

The report also indicates that, since February, monthly tourist arrivals have shown a gradual decline.

Sri Lanka’s reform programme continues to move forward, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board set to consider the combined fifth and sixth reviews under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) next week, according to IMF Asia-Pacific Department Director Krishna Srinivasan.

In a statement shared on social media, Srinivasan said Sri Lankan authorities had made “significant progress” in restoring macroeconomic stability, rebuilding reserves, and strengthening confidence over the past few years.

He said these efforts had been recognised by the public, investors, and stakeholders, helping place the economy on a “firmer footing.”

However, Srinivasan noted that recent global developments had created renewed pressures, similar to challenges faced by many economies in a difficult external environment.

“Navigating these shocks is never straightforward, but Sri Lanka’s policy framework today is considerably stronger than in the past,” he said.

He also stressed that maintaining a consistent policy direction and allowing the economy to adjust to changing conditions would be essential to sustaining progress.

Sri Lanka has been identified as one of the countries that recorded improvements in political rights and civil liberties in 2025, according to the latest Freedom House report titled Freedom in the World 2026. South Asians & Diaspora

The report notes that Sri Lanka registered a five-point increase on the organization’s 100-point freedom scale, placing the country in the “Partly Free” category.

The improvement comes at a time when global freedom has continued to decline, marking the 20th consecutive year in which more countries experienced deterioration than progress. According to the report, 54 countries recorded declines in political rights and civil liberties in 2025, while only 35 countries showed improvements.

Sri Lanka was among the countries with the largest one-year gains in freedom scores during the year, alongside nations such as Syria, Bolivia, Gabon, Fiji, and Malawi.