Economy

Sri Lanka welcomes over 144,000 tourists in first 24 days of April

Published

9 months ago

April 29, 2025

Sri Lanka’s tourism industry continues its momentum with a significant year-on-year (YoY) increase in visitor numbers during 2025, according to the latest official data.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) noted that during the first 24 days of April, the country welcomed 144,320 tourists, marking a 22.1% increase, compared to 118,134 arrivals recorded during the same period in 2024, supported by a strong daily average of 6,013 visitors.

This favourable situation also pushed the year-to-date (YTD) arrivals from 1 January to 24 April 2025 to reach 866,596 visitors, reflecting a growth of 15% compared to 753,918 tourists during the corresponding period last year.

Tourism authorities expect full-month arrivals for April 2025 to reach around 224,710 to achieve its ambitious 3 million arrivals target.

In terms of source markets, India continues to dominate with 148,078 arrivals so far this year. The Russian Federation follows with 105,427 visitors, while the United Kingdom ranks third with 85,206 arrivals.

During the first 24 days of April alone, India accounted for 29,763 tourists, followed by the United Kingdom with 15,501 and the Russian Federation with 11,859.

Despite the steady rise in arrivals underscoring growing international confidence in Sri Lanka as a travel destination, authorities have failed to roll out the much-anticipated global tourism promotion campaign so far.

Earlier this month, Sri Lanka Tourism officials confirmed that the global campaign together with its new unified national branding would be launched soon after Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

Economy

Galle ranks fifth among top 10 honeymoon destinations for 2026

Published

6 days ago

January 20, 2026

admin

Galle has been placed fifth among the world’s top 10 honeymoon destinations for 2026 in the latest rankings released by Tripadvisor.

The ranking forms part of Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best 2026 and is based solely on the volume and quality of traveller reviews submitted over a 12-month period.

Tripadvisor said the list reflects destinations that consistently received strong feedback from honeymoon travellers worldwide.

Beach and island destinations dominate the upper end of the 2026 rankings. Bali secured the top position, followed by Mauritius and the Maldives, with St. Lucia ranked fourth. Galle placed fifth, ahead of several established long-haul honeymoon favourites.

Tripadvisor noted that Galle’s appeal lies in its blend of heritage and coastal experiences. Founded by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Galle Fort remains a key attraction, with preserved ramparts, historic buildings, and walkable streets.

Economy

Sri Lanka Postal Service achieves record revenue

Published

2 weeks ago

January 12, 2026

admin

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

2 weeks ago

January 11, 2026

admin

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.

#oureconomics