Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka have surpassed the half-million mark so far this year, according to the latest statistics released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). The report shows that a total of 505,751 visitors arrived in the country between January 1 and February 22, 2026.

During the period from February 1 to 22 alone, Sri Lanka welcomed 228,424 tourists, highlighting a strong momentum in arrivals. Notably, weekly arrivals in each of the first three weeks of February exceeded the 70,000 level, with 70,355 visitors in the first week, 77,870 in the second, and 71,101 in the third.

In terms of source markets, 16% of visitors (37,216) during the first 22 days of February were from India, while 11% (25,867) arrived from the United Kingdom.

Tourism authorities note that the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup matches being held in Sri Lanka have provided an additional boost to arrivals during February, contributing to the higher inflow of visitors.