Sri Lanka welcomed its two millionth international visitor of 2024 yesterday (December 26), marking a significant milestone for the country’s tourism sector.
Deputy Tourism Minister, Professor Ruwan Ranasinghe, announced that a special ceremony was organized by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake to celebrate the occasion.
According to official data, as of December 22, Sri Lanka had recorded 1,966,256 international arrivals this year. December alone saw an influx of 161,383 tourists, with India leading the numbers at 35,131 visitors. Russia followed with 22,637 arrivals, while the UK contributed 12,822 tourists. Germany and Australia accounted for 9,998 and 8,646 visitors, respectively.
For the year 2024, India remained the top source market, contributing 399,224 visitors. Russia ranked second with 189,289 arrivals, followed by the UK with 172,404 tourists. Germany, China, and France brought in 131,379, 120,268, and 86,440 visitors, respectively.
Professor Ranasinghe further noted that by the end of 2024, Sri Lanka’s total tourist arrivals are expected to reach approximately 2.1 million.
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