November marked a significant milestone for Sri Lanka, with 151,496 international tourists arriving—a peak for 2023, as per the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). This surge surpassed the 150,000 mark for the first time since December 2019, a milestone highlighted by the SLTDA.
The cumulative count for the initial 11 months of the year stands at 1.27 million tourist arrivals, according to SLTDA figures. India contributed around 20 percent of the total influx, alongside notable visitor numbers from Russia, Germany, Britain, Australia, China, the United States, and France.
Tourism holds a pivotal position in Sri Lanka’s economy as a top foreign revenue source. To stimulate future tourism, the government decided to waive visa fees for citizens from China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan toward the end of November.
