A notable discrepancy has emerged between government statements and official statistics regarding Sri Lanka’s tourism earnings in 2025.
Speaking at the opening of a new meditation hall at the Seetha Amman Temple in Nuwara Eliya, Minister of Tourism Vijitha Herath said that Sri Lanka has earned USD 3.7 billion from tourism during the first six months of 2025, with a similar income target expected for the next half of the year.
However, official data from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka contradicts this claim.
According to its latest report, tourism earnings for January to June 2025 stand at USD 1.71 billion, reflecting a 10% increase compared to USD 1.56 billion during the same period in 2024.
This divergence of nearly USD 2 billion between the Minister’s statement and the Central Bank’s figures raises questions regarding the basis of the Minister’s estimate and whether additional sources or future projections have been mistakenly cited as current revenue.
The government recently intensified efforts to boost religious and heritage tourism, including the expansion of facilities at sites such as the Seetha Eliya temple, which attracts a large number of Indian tourists.
During the same event, the Minister announced plans to allocate more land for temple-based tourism development.(Newswire)
