Staff members welcome a family from India who are recognized the 2,333,797th international traveler to Sri Lanka in 2025 at Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake, Sri Lanka, Dec. 29, 2025. (Photo by Gayan Sameera/Xinhua)

COLOMBO, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka on Monday surpassed its previous tourist arrivals record, welcoming the highest number of international visitors since 2018, tourism authorities said.

According to official data, total tourist arrivals in 2025 reached 2,333,797, exceeding the previous record of 2,333,796 set in 2018.

Tourism officials described the achievement as a strong signal of the sector's recovery and renewed growth after years of disruption, noting that arrivals during the year consistently outperformed expectations.

Sri Lanka's tourism sector is a key foreign exchange earner and a major source of employment, and officials said the new record underscores growing international confidence in the island as a travel destination. ■