Numbers.lk
🇱🇰 Poor Tourist? Or Poor Data?
There have been multiple reports claiming that, although tourist arrivals are increasing, tourists are spending less. But is that really the case?
Average daily tourist spending:
2018: US$178
2025: US$148
â• For years, Sri Lanka believed that the average tourist spent around US$178 per day.
╠However, many people within the industry questioned the reliability of this figure. It came from an airport survey that reportedly overrepresented European 🇪🇺 tourists, underrepresented major markets such as India 🇮🇳 and China 🇨🇳, and even included some transit passengers.
╠To produce a more accurate estimate, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority partnered with Australia’s Market Development Facility. The new study was conducted over 12 months and surveyed 11,731 tourists, using stratified random sampling across all major tourism markets.
The result was US$148 per day.
╠Sri Lanka has replaced an unreliable estimate with a figure that is closer to tourists’ actual spending. That is the real reason behind the lower reported spending figure.
#SriLanka #Tourism
Comments
7Is numbers.lk asking us about numbers now?
Poor government
Better adjust for inflation..
Answer is very simple. When tourist comes to Sri Lanka. They spend in LKR nor USD. If the average spending for both of these period are statistically visible. It’s in fact absolutely correct and tourist spending has gone up in terms of Rupees spending not in Dollars terms. From your perspective in their respective period exchange rate USD to LKR. In 2018 - US$178 - Exchange Rate - 182.50 (Source Exchange Rate UK, you can refer CBSL as well) - 178*182.50= 32,485 LKR In 2025 - US$148- Exchange Rate - 300.74 (Source Exchange Rate UK, you can refer CBSL as well) - 148*300.74= 44,509.5 LKR Spending has increased from the point of foreigners in rupee terms. When central bank depreciates the currencies. This is the effect.
Its an unreliable post as long as you do not consider comparable comparison of the sampling method of previous stat, you speculate your version, as if you are defending on somebodies payroll..or are you? Lately your page published various posts which are bias.. The tourist patterns have changed, demography has changed, origin countries have changed. We ve seen an explosion on tourists from neighboring countries, economics have changed. We are not isolating these variables.
Buddhika Neranja Daluwatte spot on ... all they had to do was disclose the methodology in 2018 and 2025.....
Buddhika Neranja Daluwatte https://www.ft.lk/front-page/MDF-SLTDA-unveils-tourism-survey/44-784964#