The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) announced that the number of tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka has crossed the 600,000 mark for 2026. 

Between 1 January to 8 March 2026, a total of 604,301 tourists visited the island nation.

In the first eight days of March alone, 47,646 tourists arrived, indicating a strong start to the peak season. 

The data reveals diverse origins of visitors, with India leading at 11,345 arrivals (24.0%), followed by Russia with 4,388 visitors, the United Kingdom with 4,136, China with 4,032, and Germany with 3,634 in February.

For comparison, the total number of tourists in the same period last year (2025) was 229,298, highlighting a significant increase in tourist activity in 2026.