COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (News Cutter) —November saw the highest tourist arrivals for the year so far, with 151,496 international visitors.

However, the monthly target was missed by 25%, and for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, Sri Lanka crossed the 150,000 tourist arrival mark. The daily arrival average also reached 5,000.

In 2018, the best year for Sri Lanka tourism in history, November drew 195,582 tourists. With November 2023 arrival numbers, Sri Lanka’s cumulative tourist arrivals for the first 11 months stand at 1.27 million.

India ranked as the largest tourist traffic generator, accounting for 20% of the total arrivals. The Russian Federation ranked second, accounting for 16% of the total number of tourists. Other key markets included the United Kingdom, Australia, China, the United States, and France.

The government launched a free visa regime, which will be rolled out until March 31, 2024, allowing further tourist arrivals from India, China, and Russia.