Sri Lanka’s inbound tourism is undergoing a structural shift, with visitor spending moving beyond traditional urban centres toward emerging destinations, according to the Mastercard Economics Institute’s Economic Outlook 2026. Commenting on the findings, Sandun Hapugoda, Country Manager for Sri Lanka and Maldives at Mastercard, said the data shows a clear evolution in travel patterns when comparing 2025 with pre-pandemic 2019 levels. “Colombo continues to lead tourism-related transactions, accounting for nearly a quarter of total spend, but its share has moderated. This reflects diversification rather than a decline,” Hapugoda said, noting that Colombo still represents 24.77% of total transactions despite a…
Sri Lanka’s inbound tourism shifts beyond traditional hubs, data shows
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