British travellers have emerged as the biggest daily spenders among tourists visiting Sri Lanka, according to the latest survey data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).
Foreign exchange earnings from tourism continue to fluctuate depending on visitor numbers, length of stay and spending patterns, which vary widely across source countries and seasons. Data show that while some markets bring large volumes, others contribute more strongly through higher daily spending.
Package tour visitors from the United Kingdom are the highest spenders per day, averaging US$263.28 (about Rs 81,307) per person. British travellers visiting independently spend US$154.82 (about Rs 47,812) per day. This places the UK at the top of Sri Lanka’s tourism spending table in 2025.
Russians follow closely. As individual travellers, Russians spend the most at US$163.84 (about Rs 50,597) per day, while package tourists from Russia spend US$201.95 (about Rs 62,367). Tourism officials say Russian travellers remain resilient and continue to visit Sri Lanka regardless of global conditions, with a strong preference for beach and sea-related activities.
Chinese visitors also record relatively high daily spending. Those on package tours spend US$190.55 (about Rs 58,846) per day, while independent travellers spend US$155.17 (about Rs 49,920).
Indian tourists, who make up the largest number of arrivals, are among the lowest spenders. Solo Indian travellers spend US$154.60 (about Rs 47,744) per day, while package tourists spend US$176.49 (about Rs 54,504). They also tend to stay for shorter periods of five to six days.
Presenting the data in Parliament last week, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath said spending levels also depend on the length of stay, which changes by season. European tourists, including those from the UK and Germany, stay longer during the Northern Hemisphere winter months, contributing to higher earnings.
In January, UK visitors stayed an average of 10.5 days, while Germans stayed about 15 days and Russians nearly 12 days. Tourism earnings for January reached US$400.6 million. By contrast, in May, when average stays shortened, earnings fell to US$164 million.
Overall, the average visitor spending per day has been estimated at US$148.26, based on a comprehensive 12-month exit survey covering July 2024 to June 2025. The survey, which sampled over 11,700 visitors, is considered more reliable than earlier studies and excludes airfare costs.
Tourism earnings for the full year are expected to reach US$3 billion, reflecting a strong recovery from the US$507 million low recorded in 2021. Visitor arrivals up to 25 December have reached 2.298 million, surpassing 2024 figures.
While India remains the largest source market by numbers, the data clearly show that British travellers, especially those on package tours, are the biggest contributors to Sri Lanka’s tourism earnings on a per-day basis, underlining the importance of targeting high-value markets alongside high-volume arrivals.
