A worrying economic signal emerges as foreign tourists begin spending significantly less in Sri Lanka, raising concerns over declining tourism revenue and long-term financial stability.
According to a recent study conducted by the Department of Economics and Statistics at the University of Peradeniya, there has been a noticeable decline in the average spending of foreign tourists visiting Sri Lanka.
Professor Wasantha Athukorala revealed that these findings are based on a comprehensive long-term data analysis carried out over a period of seven years, highlighting a gradual but clear downward trend in tourist expenditure.
While a foreign visitor to Sri Lanka spent an average of around US dollars 1800 last year, that figure has now dropped significantly to approximately US dollars 1300, indicating a sharp reduction in tourist spending patterns.
The research report further confirms that this decline is influenced by a combination of global economic pressures and various local economic factors, which have limited the overall spending capacity of tourists.
Professor Athukorala emphasized that this trend has a direct and concerning impact on revenue generation within Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, which remains a key pillar of the national economy.
