Tourist arrivals have reached 97,825 in October so far, with visitors from India making up 38% of the total, according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).
India has supplied 35,529 tourists during the month, making it the largest source market by a wide margin. China follows with 6,997 arrivals, while the United Kingdom has recorded 6,892 visitors.
Australia and Germany are also among the main markets, with 5,072 and 4,617 arrivals, respectively.
India Leads October Tourist Arrivals
The latest figures show a strong share of October visitors coming from India.
- Of the 97,825 tourists recorded so far, Indian visitors account for more than one-third of the total.
- China ranks second with 6,997 visitors. The UK follows closely with 6,892.
- Meanwhile, Australia has contributed 5,072 tourists and Germany 4,617.
Together, these five markets account for a large share of the arrivals recorded during the month.
The figures also show the continued role of India as the largest source market for tourism.
2026 Arrivals Pass 1.79 Million
The latest October figures have taken total tourist arrivals for 2026 to 1,791,504. India remains the largest source market for the year, with 474,943 visitors.
The United Kingdom ranks second with 167,619 arrivals, followed by China with 119,547. For comparison, 165,193 tourists visited during the full month of October 2025.
However, the latest October 2026 figure covers only arrivals recorded so far in the month. Therefore, it should not be treated as a full-month year-on-year comparison.
The final October figure will provide a clearer picture of how the month performed against October 2025.
Last modified: October 21, 2026
