Sri Lanka has narrowly missed its ambitious goal of welcoming 1.5 million tourists in 2023, as reported by the latest data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). In December 2023, the island nation experienced a record influx of tourists, with approximately 210,352 arrivals. This boosted the total tourist arrivals for the year to 1,487,303.
The official figure falls merely 12,697 arrivals shy of the government’s target for 2023. Nevertheless, the total of 1,487,303 tourist arrivals for the year represents a substantial increase of 106.6% compared to the previous year’s count of 719,978.
December 2023 marked a historic peak in tourist arrivals, reaching 210,352— the highest monthly figure in the last four years. This reflects a remarkable surge of 128.7% compared to December 2022, which recorded 91,961 arrivals.
Tourism Minister Harin Fernando, expressing optimism on Saturday, had foreseen that the country would nearly achieve the annual target of 1.5 million arrivals in 2023. Despite falling marginally short of the goal, the notable growth in tourism numbers underscores the resilience and attractiveness of Sri Lanka as a tourist destination.
