The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has released data indicating an all-time high of 2,116,407 tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka in 2017, which represents 3.2 percent growth versus 2016.

 The tourism industry faced many difficulties in 2017, including partial closure of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) from January to April, flooding, droughts and a dengue epidemic.

Department of Immigration and Emigration statistics reveal that over 90 percent of the tourist arrivals reached the country through the BIA in Katunayake with the remainder arriving through various ports such as Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, Colombo Harbour and Galle Harbour.