Sri Lanka's tourism sector has reported a gradual uptick in visitor numbers for June, traditionally considered an off-season period for the island nation.
According to provisional data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), the country welcomed 84,383 international visitors in the first 23 days of June 2024.
The daily average of arrivals stood at approximately 3,500, contributing to a weekly average of around 26,000 arrivals. Year-to-date, Sri Lanka has recorded a total of 981,162 tourist arrivals.
Comparing June 2024 figures to the same period last year reveals a slight increase of 16 percent, with June 2023 seeing 72,277 international visitors during the corresponding period.
India maintained its position as the leading source market for Sri Lanka tourism, followed by the United Kingdom and the Russian Federation in the second and third spots, respectively. Australia and China rounded out the top five source markets.
Of note is the emergence of the Maldives as a notable contributor to Sri Lanka's tourism numbers. While traditionally not among the top source markets, the Maldives recently entered the list, ranking as the third largest source market in May and now appearing in the eighth position for June. This shift coincides with recent changes in visa categorization, although the exact impact of these changes remains uncertain.
