Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism informed the media yesterday (05 January 2026) that in the year 2025, Sri Lanka succeeded in achieving historic milestones in terms of tourist arrivals and migrant worker remittances.
The Minister shared this information at a media conference which he chaired yesterday, 05 January 2026 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, together with the Hon. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment and the Hon. Deputy Minister of Tourism, to outline the key achievements recorded in 2025 and to present strategic priorities for 2026.
Addressing the media, Minister Herath, stated that Sri Lanka’s diplomatic engagement significantly strengthened in both bilateral and multilateral spheres in 2025 across economic, trade, and political fronts. He emphasized that tourism and foreign employment emerged as two of the country’s most important income-generating sectors during the year, with 2,362,000 tourist arrivals recorded in 2025, generating approximately USD 3.2 billion in revenue. This marked the highest-ever tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka’s history, surpassing previous records.
On foreign employment, Minister Herath noted that migrant worker remittances received through formal banking channels exceeded USD 7.8 billion in 2025, making it the highest inflow of worker remittances since 2016. Monthly remittances averaged between USD 650 million and USD 700 million. Nearly 312,000 Sri Lankans also secured overseas employment during the year. Combined earnings from tourism and worker remittances in 2025 amounted to approximately USD 11 billion, a significant achievement for the national economy.
The Minister also briefed on Sri Lanka’s recovery program following Cyclone Ditwah, noting that vigorous diplomatic efforts enabled the country to secure financial, material, and technical assistance from foreign governments and organizations, international development partners, the Sri Lankan diaspora and friends of Sri Lanka.
Speaking at the event, Hon. Arun Hemachandra, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment, described 2025 as a significant milestone in the four-decade history of Sri Lanka’s foreign employment sector, and the contributions of the sector to the Sri Lankan economy and society. He also highlighted the role of Sri Lanka’s consular network abroad in revenue generation, service delivery, and the protection of migrant workers.
The Deputy Minister outlined key reforms implemented to prevent political interference in foreign employment processes and to ensure equitable access to overseas employment opportunities. He noted the establishment of a special police investigation unit in 2025 to address employment fraud and expedite investigations.
Measures to strengthen migrant worker welfare were also highlighted, including the launch of a Migrant Worker Housing Scheme, offering housing loans of up to LKR 10 million through state and private sector banks with support from the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE). Additional initiatives include a welfare programme implemented in collaboration with the Presidential Fund, the introduction of a 24/7 SLBFE call centre with WhatsApp, SMS integration and digital dashboards, and plans to launch a Migrant Worker Facilitation Mobile Application. The Deputy Minister also referred to the proposed new Foreign Employment Act, currently under formulation, aligned with international best practices.
Hon. Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe, Deputy Minister of Tourism, stated that the Government has succeeded in restoring Sri Lankas tourism sector to pre-pandemic levels and beyond. He noted that despite the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, daily tourist arrivals remained between 10,000 and 12,000, demonstrating the resilience of the sector and the effectiveness of recovery measures.
He confirmed that Sri Lanka recorded its highest-ever tourist arrivals in 2025, with India, Russia, the United States, Poland, Australia, and China among the top source markets, while the United Kingdom, France, and Germany showed notable growth within Europe.
The Deputy Minister highlighted enhanced digital marketing strategies, airport-based promotional initiatives, increased foreign investment, and strengthened institutional reforms aimed at developing a more resilient, sustainable, and visitor-friendly tourism sector. Sri Lanka also received several prestigious international tourism awards in 2025, reinforcing its global standing as a premier travel destination.
Senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism and institutions falling under the purview of the Ministry were also present at the media conference.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism
Colombo
06 January 2026