Tourist arrivals are climbing back towards pre-crisis record highs, but how and where visitors spend their money is shifting, according to the Minister of Tourism, Vijitha Herath. Travellers from the United Kingdom are the highest daily spenders, followed by Russia and Germany. India leads in visitor numbers but trails in spending. Data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) show that 62% of travellers are independent, and 46% are aged between 20 and 25.
Along with these findings, average daily tourist expenditure has also been revised down to $148.26 from earlier estimates of about $181. The data comes from the SLTDA’s Annual Airport Survey of Departing Foreign Tourists, compiled this year in partnership with the Market Development Facility (MDF) of Australia, an Australian Government initiative supporting productivity, diversification, competitiveness, and trade in the Indo-Pacific region.
Source: Mastercard Economics Institute
Meanwhile, data from Mastercard show credit card transactions growing outside traditional urban hubs such as Colombo, Kandy, and Galle. It notes that while Colombo continues to account for the largest share of total transactions, spending there fell 7.4% year on year in 2025, with Kandy and Negombo also recording slight declines. In contrast, newer destinations including Ella, Weligama, Ahangama, and Dickwella recorded spending growth of between 3% and 5% over the same period.
Source: Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority
Total tourist arrivals reached 2.33 million in 2025, compared with 2.05 million during the same period in 2024. Minister Herath forecasts earnings will reach around $3 billion in 2025. Much of the recent growth has come from South Asia and Europe, led by India, which accounts for nearly one in four visitors. The United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, and China round of the top five, together representing just over half of total arrivals.
Source: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism
More detailed data from the SLTDA’s survey shows that package tourists spent 25-40% more per day than independent travellers. Among UK visitors, package tourists spend about $263 per day compared with $155 for independent travellers. Russians are the highest-spending independent group, spending on average $164 per day on individual trips and $202 on packages. Chinese package tourists spend around $191 daily, compared with $155 for independent visitors. Indian travellers spend the least overall at $155 individually and $176 on packages.
In response to these spending patterns, Minister Herath also said visitors on lower budgets should not be viewed negatively, noting that tourist segments are diverse and dynamic. He said a young traveller visiting on a limited budget today could return in the future as a high spending visitor with family. “Many deliberately use public transport and eat local food to experience the country authentically,” he said. “By purchasing goods from roadside vendors and small businesses, they ensure that tourism income reaches communities directly, without intermediaries, strengthening inclusive growth.”
Source: Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority
While leisure travellers make up the majority of arrivals, two specialised segments are emerging as important drivers of higher-value growth. According to the SLTDA’s November 2025 arrivals report, MICE tourism and wellness travel account for a modest share of total arrivals but “generate significantly higher per-visitor spending, offering year-round potential and stronger linkages to business and community sectors.”
Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events (MICE) travel ranked as the second-largest category in 2025, with 22,130 arrivals, representing 10.4% of total visitors. Markets such as Poland (18.7%) and the Russian Federation (18.6%) recorded exceptionally high MICE participation, reflecting strong event connectivity and corporate travel. India (13%), Spain (12%), and China (7.4%) also showed strong growth in business-related tourism.
Meanwhile, wellness and Ayurveda tourism continue to build a small but valuable presence, attracting 1,681 visitors in 2025. Germany (5%) remains the leading market, ahead of Spain (0.6%), Poland (0.4%), and France (0.3%), reflecting growing European awareness of traditional medicine and holistic health experiences.
According to the SLTDA, these segments reflect a tourism economy that is becoming broader in scope and more resilient in structure. As leisure travel stabilises, the Authority concludes that, “MICE and wellness tourism offer opportunities for higher-value growth, supporting off-peak demand and strengthening the country’s position in an increasingly competitive regional market.”