Sri Lanka Tourism in September 2026: What the Numbers Mean for Your Business
158,557 tourists came in September. That is almost the same as last year. But who is coming is changing, and that matters for your bookings.
Friday.lk Data Desk
6 min read · 19 Oct 2026 · Updated 20 Oct
- 158,557 tourists came to Sri Lanka in September 2026. Last September it was 158,971. About the same.
- More tourists are coming from Australia and India. Fewer are coming from Germany.
- October is a quiet month. December is the busiest. Use the quiet weeks to get ready.
Every month, SLTDA (Sri Lanka's tourism authority) counts the tourists who arrive. We read the report and explain it in simple words. We also tell you what you can do about it, whether you run a hotel, a tour business, events, or you stay in Sri Lanka for a long time.
How many tourists came?
In September 2026, 158,557 tourists came. That is almost the same as September 2025. It is also 6.4% more than September 2018, the best year before the Easter attacks of 2019.
For the whole year so far (January to September), 1,693,679 tourists have come. That is a little lower than last year, by about 2 for every 100 tourists.
The year had a bumpy start. January and February were good. March and April were much lower than last year. SLTDA does not say why, so we will not guess. Since May, the numbers have been close to last year again.
How to read the chart: a change of +10% means 10 extra tourists for every 100 that came in the same month last year. Blue bars are more tourists. Red bars are fewer.
Which countries are sending more? Which fewer?
One month can be a bit random. So we looked at three months together (July, August and September) and compared them with the same three months last year.
- Australia: 13% more tourists. Growing.
- India: 7.8% more tourists. Growing. India sent about 1 in every 3 tourists in September.
- China: about the same. Steady.
- UK and France: a little fewer (about 3% fewer).
- Germany: 15% fewer tourists. Falling.
| Country | This year | Last year | Change | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 29,551 | 26,055 | +13.4% | Growing |
| India | 143,731 | 133,298 | +7.8% | Growing |
| China | 36,379 | 35,803 | +1.6% | Steady |
| France | 25,863 | 26,698 | −3.1% | Falling |
| United Kingdom | 52,160 | 53,991 | −3.4% | Falling |
| Germany | 27,516 | 32,412 | −15.1% | Falling |
Tourists in July, August and September together, compared with the same months last year. Only countries in SLTDA's top ten in all three months.
Looking at September alone: Japan sent 30% more tourists than last September, and Australia sent 20% more. Germany sent 22% fewer and Spain 29% fewer. Japan is a small market (5,387 tourists), so a big change is easier.
| Country | Sep 2026 | Sep 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 51,931 | 49,697 | +4.5% |
| China | 11,722 | 10,527 | +11.4% |
| Australia | 10,951 | 9,105 | +20.3% |
| United Kingdom | 10,738 | 10,752 | −0.1% |
| Germany | 7,277 | 9,344 | −22.1% |
| Japan | 5,387 | 4,137 | +30.2% |
| France | 4,876 | 5,144 | −5.2% |
| Maldives | 4,230 | 3,930 | +7.6% |
| Bangladesh | 4,220 | 4,953 | −14.8% |
| Spain | 3,430 | 4,841 | −29.1% |
The ten countries that sent the most tourists in September 2026 (SLTDA)
How tourists fly in, and why it matters
Most Indian tourists fly straight from India. About 9 in every 10 left from five cities: Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad.
Many European tourists change planes at an airport in the Gulf: Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah. That is about 8 in 10 Spanish tourists, 6 in 10 Germans, almost 6 in 10 French, and 4 in 10 British tourists.
Why this matters: if flights or prices change at those Gulf airports, the number of European tourists can change too. You cannot control that. For Indian tourists, what matters is how many direct seats there are from India.
October so far
In the first 15 days of October, 77,868 tourists came. Almost 4 in every 10 were from India.
If the second half of the month is the same as the first, October will end near 160,927 tourists. That is about 3% fewer than October last year. This is only a rough guess, not a promise. The second half of a month can be different.
What you can do
If you run a hotel, guesthouse or hostel
Indian tourists stay a short time, about 5 nights. German tourists stay about 12 nights, and Australians about 9. (These are averages for September 2025.) More Indian tourists means more guests, but shorter stays.
- Make 2-night and 3-night offers easy to book.
- If many of your guests are German, expect fewer this winter.
- Use quiet October days for repairs, cleaning and staff training.
If you run tours, or you are a guide or driver
Japanese tourists are growing fast. More than half of them fly with SriLankan Airlines. Australians are coming in steady numbers.
- Learn a few Japanese words, or prepare a simple Japanese page about your tour.
- For Indian tourists, offer short day trips.
If you organise events
Most foreign tourists are in Sri Lanka from December to March. India sends the most tourists, and Russia was in second place in December 2025. Read Sri Lanka in December and the busiest and quietest months before you pick a date.
- Choose dates between December and March if you want foreign visitors.
- Add your event to Friday.lk Events so people can find it.
List your event on Friday.lk Events.
If you stay in Sri Lanka for a long time
October is quiet and November is in between. It is easier to find a bed or a desk now than in December. See hostels and coworking spaces.
What to expect in October, November and December
This is a guess from past years, not a promise. In normal years, tourist numbers go up from October to December, and December is the busiest month. Since July, the numbers have been within about 3% of last year. So a winter close to last year's record is possible. Expect more tourists from India and Australia, and fewer from Germany.
We keep the year's numbers up to date on our 2026 tourist numbers page.
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Please write: “Source: Friday.lk analysis of SLTDA data, September 2026.”
You can use our charts for free if you give credit to Friday.lk and SLTDA. The numbers belong to SLTDA. Download the numbers (they open in Excel): Tourists each month, 2018 to 2026 · Tourists by country, 2026.
Where the numbers come from
All numbers come from SLTDA, Sri Lanka's tourism authority. Here are the reports we used:
- Monthly report, September 2026 (PDF)
- Weekly report, 1 to 15 October 2026 (PDF)
- All monthly reports for 2026
- Year in Review 2025 (how long tourists stay)
SLTDA counts tourists using the records of Sri Lanka's immigration department. Each tourist is counted by the country they live in. We compared each month with the same month last year. For the three-month view, we added July, August and September for countries that were in SLTDA's top ten in all three months. SLTDA's October numbers are for 1 to 15 October only, and may change.
Common questions
How many tourists came to Sri Lanka in September 2026?
158,557 tourists, says SLTDA, Sri Lanka's tourism authority. In September 2025 it was 158,971, so the number is almost the same. It is 6.4% more than September 2018, which was a very good year.
How many tourists have come so far in 2026?
1,693,679 tourists from January to September. In the same months of 2025 it was 1,725,494, so this year is 1.8% lower (31,815 fewer tourists).
Which country sent the most tourists in September 2026?
India sent 51,931 tourists, about 1 in every 3. China (11,722) and Australia (10,951) came next.
Which countries are sending more tourists?
Australia and India. Looking at July, August and September together, Australia sent 13% more tourists than a year ago and India sent 7.8% more. Japan also grew fast in September, but from a small number.
Are fewer Germans coming to Sri Lanka?
Yes. Over July to September, 15% fewer Germans came than a year ago. SLTDA does not say why.
