Sri Lanka's External Earnings Soar: Remittances Up 20.1%, Tourism Crosses \$2 Billion Mark

Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka's key sources of foreign exchange have shown robust growth, according to the latest statistics released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL). Both foreign employment remittances and tourism earnings have recorded significant increases, signaling strengthening external sector performance.

Foreign Remittances Register 20.1% Growth

In October 2025 alone, Sri Lanka received a strong inflow of US $712 million in foreign employment remittances.

More impressively, the cumulative remittances for the ten-month period from January to October 2025 reached a total of US $6.52 billion. This figure represents a substantial 20.1% increase compared to the remittances recorded during the corresponding period last year, a clear indicator of the continued trust and commitment of the Sri Lankan diaspora.

Tourism Earnings Exceed $2 Billion

The tourism sector also continues its recovery and growth trajectory.

Official CBSL figures show that tourism earnings for the first nine months of 2025 (January to September) have surpassed the US $2 billion mark. Total tourism earnings for this period stand at US $2.47 billion.

This is a healthy 5.3% increase when compared to the US $2.34 billion in tourism earnings reported during the first nine months of 2024. The consistent growth highlights the effectiveness of tourism promotion efforts and the rising appeal of Sri Lanka as a global travel destination.

The positive performance in both these critical foreign exchange earning sectors provides a strong foundation for Sri Lanka's ongoing economic stabilization efforts. (NewsCenter)