Sri Lanka welcomes 2 millionth tourist, marking historic milestone

Sri Lanka has welcomed its 2 millionth tourist of 2024, who arrived today (December 26) at 10:49 AM on flight UL 403 from Bangkok at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).

This marks the fourth time in history that annual tourist arrivals have surpassed 2 million, with previous milestones achieved in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

It is also the highest annual tourist arrival figure since 2018.

Deputy Minister of Tourism Ruwan Ranasinghe and Chairman of the Tourism Promotion Bureau Buddhika Hewawasam were present at the airport to greet the milestone tourist.

A special ceremony organized by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau was held at the Silk Route Lounge at BIA to mark the occasion.

The tourism industry, which faced severe challenges due to the 2019 Easter attacks, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the economic crisis, is now showing signs of rapid recovery under the new government.

Key measures taken include resolving issues related to online visas, enhancing tourist safety, and addressing challenges faced by travel service providers.

Tourist arrivals for December alone reached 195,127 as of December 26, 2024 with expectations to exceed 250,000 by the end of the month.

February 2019 remains the only other month to have recorded over 250,000 arrivals. Over the past three months, a total of 515,192 tourists have visited Sri Lanka.

In an effort to further boost tourism, the government has introduced free visa facilities for citizens of 39 countries and is targeting 3 million annual tourist arrivals by 2025.