Tourism & Leisure
Overview
Tourism & Leisure industry is the third largest foreign exchange earner in the Sri Lankan economy. The government of Sri Lanka has positioned tourism as a central pillar of the economy valuing Sri Lanka’s exceptional island-wide natural and cultural endowments.
The government is determined to nurture world-class visitor experiences firmly rooted in the inherent natural, cultural, historic and social capital of Sri Lanka and its people, and to ensure that these experiences generate island-wide economic value. The industry is poised to offer great growth and investment potential. As a result, Sri Lanka has become an increasingly popular destination among international travelers.
Potential areas for investment
- Tourist Accommodation & Services (Hotels / Resorts / Villas/ Higher-end restaurants)
- Leisure & Recreational (Golf Course, Entertainment Complexes, Theme Parks, Tourist
- Shopping Complexes, Eco-Lodges, Camping, Whale & Dolphin Watching, water Sports)
- Adventure & Eco Tourism (Adventure parks)
- Transportation (Yacht Marina, Coastal Ferry Services, Cruise Lines)
- Skill Development: Hotel / Hospitality Training Institutes
International Brands









Rankings





Sri Lanka Tourism Statistics
Source : SLTDA
(* Government Targets – Seven-member task force appointed by Tourism Hon. Minister Prasanna Ranatunga)
Tourist arrivals by region and percentage share : January - September 2020
Europe became the largest source of tourist traffic to Sri Lanka with 55.4 % of the total traffic received from January to September 2020. Asia and Pacific accounted for 35.7% of the total traffic, Americas 6.3 %, Middle East 2.0 % and Africa 0.6%.
Europe
Asia & Pacific
America
Middle East
Africa
Source : SLTDA
Top Ten Source Markets – January - September 2020
India, United Kingdom, Russia, Germany and China were Sri Lanka’s top five international tourist generating markets in the period from January to September 2020. India was the largest source of tourist traffic to Sri Lanka with 17.6 % of the total traffic received in above period. United Kingdom accounted for 10.9 % of the total traffic; while Russian Federation, Germany and China accounted for 9.7 %, 6.8 % and 5.2 % respectively.

India
Arrivals : 89,357
Share : 17.6%

United Kingdom
Arrivals : 55,455
Share : 10.9%

Russia
Arrivals : 49,397
Share : 9.7%

Germany
Arrivals : 34,507
Share : 6.8%

China
Arrivals : 26,147
Share : 5.2%

France
Arrivals : 24,838
Share : 4.9%

Australia
Arrivals : 20,283
Share : 4.0%

United States
Arrivals : 49,397
Share : 9.7%

Ukraine
Arrivals : 16,776
Share : 3.3%

Canada
Arrivals : 12,436
Share : 2.5%
Source : SLTDA