Tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka have exceeded the half-million mark this year, as per the latest data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). The report reveals that a total of 505,751 visitors entered the country from January 1 to February 22, 2026.

From February 1 to 22 alone, Sri Lanka saw the arrival of 228,424 tourists, indicating robust growth in visitor numbers. Remarkably, each of the first three weeks of February recorded over 70,000 arrivals: 70,355 in the first week, 77,870 in the second, and 71,101 in the third.

Analyzing the source markets, 16% of tourists (37,216) during the initial 22 days of February came from India, while 11% (25,867) were from the United Kingdom.

Tourism authorities have attributed part of the increased visitor numbers in February to the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup matches hosted in Sri Lanka, which have significantly boosted tourist inflow.