Sri Lanka Shifts Focus to Asian Markets

Facing a 30–40% projected drop in European tourist arrivals due to Middle East tensions, Sri Lanka is pivoting toward Asian markets. Chinese tourist arrivals are projected to grow 30% year-on-year to 300,000 visitors in 2026, while India remains the top source market with daily arrivals rising from 1,264 to 1,605. To capitalize on this shift, Sri Lanka is introducing digital payment platforms like Weixin Pay to reduce revenue leakage (estimated at 30% of tourism income) .