Economy

Sri Lanka among top summer destinations for UAE travellers – New Emirates report

Published

5 months ago

July 11, 2025

Sri Lanka is among the top three summer destinations for travel in July and August, according to the latest booking data of Emirates.

Emirates reports that Sri Lanka has seen a 32 percent increase in flight searches, and as a clear favourite for its rich cultural tapestry, pristine beaches, ‘tea country’ and affordable luxury experiences.

As international travel reaches a fever pitch this summer, Emirates’ latest analysis of global booking data* and search patterns reveals where travellers are dreaming of and escaping to in July and August, with a shift towards new cultural experiences and off-the-beaten-track locales.

Flight searches for summer travel have climbed 7 percent compared to last year, with France leading the charge, experiencing a remarkable 35 percent increase in outbound travel searches, followed by Ireland, Canada and Saudi Arabia. Germany and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are also seeing strong momentum, highlighting robust travel intent across key markets.

In 2025, a few breakout stars have emerged as the top summer destinations for Emirates, and they’re largely concentrated in the Far East, Indian Ocean and Europe.

In the UAE, Emirates has seen a 13 percent rise in flight searches overall, and airline has witnessed a year-on-year increase for searches to destinations like Sri Lanka, Jordan, France, India, Lebanon, and Morrocco.

Travellers from the US flying Emirates have been increasingly focusing their searches on African points like Egypt, Kenya and South Africa, while UK travellers are searching 12 percent more than last year on emirates.com, with increasing interest to far flung destinations like New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Sri Lanka and Mauritius.

Source – Dailymirror

Economy

Tourist arrivals pass 2.1m for the first time in 2025

Published

1 day ago

December 5, 2025

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A total of 212,906 tourists have arrived in the country in the month of November, data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) shows.

According to data released by the SLTDA, a total of 51,391 tourists have arrived from India which accounts to 24.1%. Furthermore, 24,953 persons from Russia, 16,915 from the United Kingdom, 14,518 from Germany and 9,384 Australian nationals have also visited Sri Lanka in the month of November.

Meanwhile, the number of tourists arrived in Sri Lanka in 2025 has increased to 2,103,593 with the release of the latest figures for November.

Among them, 474,796 individuals are from India, 191,742 from the UK, 158,593 from Russia, 131,259 from Germany, 121,671 from China and 101,771 are from France, the SLTDA noted.

Economy

Apple to support relief efforts in flood-hit Sri Lanka

Published

3 days ago

December 3, 2025

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Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced that the company will contribute to relief and rebuilding efforts across several Asian countries—including Sri Lanka—following days of severe flooding, landslides, and powerful winds.

Cook said that recent storms across Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka have devastated communities, extending the company’s condolences to all those affected.

Economy

Management Committee appointed for ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

4 days ago

December 1, 2025

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The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the establishment of the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, which aims to rebuild the country after the immense damage caused by Cyclone ‘Ditwa’, one of the worst natural disasters in Sri Lanka’s recent history.

The fund is to be established as a statutory fund under the Presidential Secretariat, and its Management Committee will comprise representatives from the government and private sectors.

Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, will serve as its Chairman, while Senior Additional Secretary to the President, G.M.R.D. Aponso will serve as the Convener of the Committee.

Other committee members include:

• President’s Special Envoy for Foreign Investment, Western Province Governor Hanif Yusoof
• Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma
• Senior Economic Advisor to the President, Duminda Hulangamuwa
• Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sugeeshwara Gunawardena
• Chairman of the Hayles Group, Mohan Pandithage
• Chairman of John Keells Holdings (JKH), Krishan Balendra
• Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of Aitken Spence PLC, Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake
• Brandix Group CEO Ashroff Omar
• LOLC Executive Chairman Ishara Nanayakkara