Deputy Minister of Tourism Ruwan Ranasinghe says that 768 flights to Sri Lanka have been cancelled due to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, significantly impacting the country’s tourism sector.
According to the Deputy Minister, tourist arrivals have dropped by around 30%, mainly because many travellers from Europe rely on Middle Eastern transit hubs to reach Sri Lanka.
However, he noted that India, the largest source market for Sri Lanka, has not shown any decline in visitor numbers. Tourists from Japan and Australia also continue to arrive.
Ranasinghe described the situation as a short-term connectivity shock, warning that the impact on Sri Lanka’s tourism industry could become more severe if the conflict in the Middle East continues.
