Sri Lanka, May 2 -- Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka have surpassed the 850,000 mark so far this year, despite a slowdown in recent months, said the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).

According to the SLTDA, 277,327 tourists arrived in January, followed by 279,328 in February, marking a notable increase compared to the same period in both 2025 and 2018.

However, the upward trend eased in March 2026, with arrivals dropping to 183,979. The SLTDA attributed the decline to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The downward trend continued into April, with only 117,893 tourist arrivals recorded during the month.

Despite the dip, the SLTDA noted that total arrivals had reached 858,527 by the end of the first quarter of 2026, ...