Sri Lanka posts record foreign tourist arrivals in 2025

Colombia, Jan 6 (IANS) Sri Lanka recorded its highest number of foreign tourist arrivals in 2025, with tourism earnings reaching new annual records despite disruptions caused by Cyclone Ditwah, said the country's foreign minister at a media briefing.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath on Monday said Sri Lanka received more than 2.36 million foreign tourists during the year, the highest number recorded in a single calendar year.

Tourism revenue totalled 3.2 billion US dollars in 2025, confirming the sector's position as the country's second-largest source of foreign exchange, the minister added.

Tourist inflows remained strong despite the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which struck the island at the end of November. The minister said tourism arrivals continued following the disaster due to policy support measures and promotional activity, reports Xinhua news agency.

Sri Lanka has set a minimum target of 3 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2026, representing an increase of about 27 per cent from 2025 levels. Authorities expect tourism growth to contribute to economic recovery efforts as overall growth projections for 2026 were revised downward to 2.9 per cent by the International Monetary Fund following the cyclone.

Meanwhile, according to a report released by the World Bank, the direct physical damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka is estimated at 4.1 billion US dollars, about 4 per cent of the country's GDP.

The Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) report provides an initial assessment to support emergency response and recovery planning. The model-based analysis estimates direct damage to physical assets but does not include income losses, production losses, or the full costs of recovery and reconstruction.

The Central Province was the hardest hit, with damages in Kandy district alone estimated at 689 million dollars, mainly due to flooding and landslides, the report said.

Infrastructure suffered the largest share of damage at about 1.74 billion dollars, accounting for 42 per cent of total losses. Damage to homes and household contents was estimated at 985 million dollars.

Agriculture incurred losses of about 814 million dollars, affecting paddy and vegetable cultivation, livestock, inland fisheries, and agricultural infrastructure, raising concerns over food security. Non-residential buildings, including schools, hospitals, and businesses, sustained an estimated 562 million dollars in damage, the World Bank said.

The report warned that pre-existing poverty and exposure to climate risks could slow recovery, particularly for women, children, older persons, and female-headed households. The World Bank said it has mobilised up to 120 million dollars from ongoing projects to support immediate recovery and restore essential services.

The cyclone, one of the most intense and destructive in the country's recent history, affected nearly 2 million people and about 500,000 families across all 25 districts.