Sri Lanka’s tourism industry recorded a notable decline in earnings during April 2026, with revenue figures dropping significantly compared to the same period last year, according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
Official data released by the Central Bank showed that tourism earnings for April 2026 stood at USD 157.1 million. This marks a sharp 38.8% decrease from April 2025, when the country generated USD 256.7 million through the tourism sector.
Statistics from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority revealed that 135,643 foreign tourists arrived in the country during April this year.
In comparison, January 2025 saw tourism earnings of USD 256.7 million generated from 174,608 tourist arrivals, highlighting the recent slowdown in both visitor numbers and revenue generation.
Despite the monthly decline, Sri Lanka continued to attract a substantial number of travelers during the first four months of 2026. Between January and April, a total of 876,277 foreign tourists visited the island, contributing USD 1,111 million in tourism earnings, according to CBSL data.
However, when compared with the corresponding period in 2025, the figures indicate a downward trend. During the first four months of last year, Sri Lanka welcomed 896,884 tourists and earned USD 1,379 million from the sector.
As a result, tourist arrivals for the January–April period recorded a 2.3% decline, while tourism earnings fell more sharply by 19.4%, reflecting growing challenges for one of the country’s key foreign exchange earning industries.
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