Monthly guide
Tourism in September 2026
158,557 tourists came in September, about the same as last year. India and Australia are growing. Germany is falling. Here is what to do.
Last updated 20 October 2026 · Numbers from SLTDA, Sri Lanka's tourism authority, up to 15 October 2026
"Tourist arrivals" means the number of tourists who come into the country. From January to September 2026, 1,693,679 tourists came to Sri Lanka. That is a little less than the 1,725,494 who came in the same months of 2025, but 14% more than 2024. The year has been bumpy, and the countries tourists come from are changing. We update this page when SLTDA publishes new numbers.
1,693,679
Tourists, Jan–Sep 2026−1.8%
Compared with 2025+14.1%
Compared with 202477,868
Tourists, 1–15 October2026 started strongly. January had 9.7% more tourists than January 2025. February had 16.2% more (279,328, the busiest month of the year so far). Then in March the number fell by 19.8%, and in April by 22.3%. SLTDA does not say why, so we will not guess.
2024
2025
2026
Since May, the numbers have been close to last year. May was 9.6% higher. July was 1.7% lower, August 3.3% lower and September 0.3% lower. So the second half of the year looks steady, not like a crash. To see how this fits the normal pattern, read our busiest and quietest months calendar.
| Month | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 252,761 | 277,327 | +9.7% |
| Feb | 240,217 | 279,328 | +16.3% |
| Mar | 229,298 | 183,979 | −19.8% |
| Apr | 174,608 | 135,643 | −22.3% |
| May | 132,919 | 145,745 | +9.6% |
| Jun | 138,241 | 124,551 | −9.9% |
| Jul | 200,244 | 196,845 | −1.7% |
| Aug | 198,235 | 191,704 | −3.3% |
| Sep | 158,971 | 158,557 | −0.3% |
| Jan–Sep | 1,725,494 | 1,693,679 | −1.8% |
Tourists each month, 2026 compared with 2025 (SLTDA)
2025 was a record year: 2,362,521 tourists, 15.1% more than 2024 (2,053,465). A small step back from a record year is not a crash.
India is the biggest by far. From January to September, 437,414 Indian tourists came. That is about 1 in every 4 tourists, and more than 62,000 more than in 2025. China (+10.8%), Australia (+12.4%) and Japan (+16.9%) also grew. Russia fell by 32.1%. The Netherlands (−20.8%), France (−10.5%) and Germany (−9.1%) also fell. The UK, the second biggest, stayed about the same (−0.7%).
| # | Country | Jan–Sep 2026 | Jan–Sep 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 437,414 | 375,292 | +16.6% |
| 2 | United Kingdom | 160,727 | 161,893 | −0.7% |
| 3 | China | 112,550 | 101,590 | +10.8% |
| 4 | Germany | 97,278 | 106,988 | −9.1% |
| 5 | Australia | 86,989 | 77,380 | +12.4% |
| 6 | Russia | 82,991 | 122,144 | −32.1% |
| 7 | France | 78,860 | 88,155 | −10.5% |
| 8 | United States | 45,686 | 48,174 | −5.2% |
| 9 | Netherlands | 41,343 | 52,210 | −20.8% |
| 10 | Japan | 33,661 | 28,799 | +16.9% |
| All other countries | 516,180 | 562,869 | −8.3% |
The ten countries that sent the most tourists, January to September 2026 compared with 2025 (SLTDA)
In September, 158,557 tourists came. About 64 of every 100 came from Asia and the Pacific, and about 30 of every 100 from Europe. Together that is about 93 of every 100. The Americas, the Middle East and Africa together sent less than 7 of every 100. Japan (+30.2%) and Australia (+20.3%) grew the most. Spain (−29.1%) and Germany (−22.1%) fell the most among the top ten.
| 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, compared with September 2025 (SLTDA)
Most come for a holiday. In September 2026, 71 of every 100 tourists came for a holiday, 11 to visit family and friends, and 10 for business events (meetings, conferences and trade shows). See how this changes through the year in our busiest and quietest months calendar.
| Reason | Share of tourists |
|---|---|
| Holiday | 71% |
| Visiting family and friends | 11% |
| Business events (meetings, conferences, trade shows) | 10% |
| Other business | 3% |
| Other, or no answer | 4% |
| Education, religion, health and sports (together) | 1.8% |
Why tourists came in September 2026 (SLTDA). The numbers are rounded, so they may not add up to 100%.
The busy season is December to March. May, June, September and October are quiet. Visiting in December? Read Sri Lanka in December, and check our weather guide before choosing your dates.
Most tourists decide late: about 6 in 10 travel within a month of choosing Sri Lanka. See how tourists plan and book.
Planning your visit? Our visa and ETA guide shows how to apply, and the budget guide shows what things cost.
Want the numbers? You can download the monthly numbers from 2018 (they open in Excel) from the box below.
Please write: “Source: Friday.lk analysis of SLTDA data, 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.
All numbers come from SLTDA, Sri Lanka's tourism authority. Here are the reports we used:
SLTDA counts tourists using the records of Sri Lanka's immigration department. Each tourist is counted by the country they live in. When we compare January to September, we use the same months in every year. SLTDA gives the percentage change for countries. We worked out the monthly and year-so-far changes ourselves, and they match SLTDA's totals.
From January to September 2026, 1,693,679 tourists came to Sri Lanka, says SLTDA, Sri Lanka's tourism authority. That is 1.8% fewer than the same months of 2025. Another 77,868 came from 1 to 15 October.
2,362,521 tourists came in 2025. That is 15.1% more than 2024 (2,053,465).
India, by far. From January to September 2026, 437,414 Indian tourists came, about 26 of every 100 of all tourists. The UK (160,727) and China (112,550) come next.
December was the busiest month in 2018, 2024 and 2025. December to March is the busy season. In 2026 so far, February (279,328 tourists) has been the busiest month.
May, June, September and October are the quiet months. About 7 to 8 tourists come for every 10 in a normal month. In 2026 so far, June (124,551 tourists) has been the lowest.
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158,557 tourists came in September, about the same as last year. India and Australia are growing. Germany is falling. Here is what to do.
Which months are busy and which are quiet? A simple calendar from official numbers, and what it means for your business.
December is the busiest month. Who comes, why they come and how long they stay.