Sri Lanka to consider cash/dollar incentives for tourism promotors: President

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka is considering a tourism industry request to provide incentives in dollars or cash to those who bring more tourists into the country from next year, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told an investor forum this week.

Speaking at the Sri Lanka Economic and Investor Summit 2026 on Monday (12), the President said the tourism industry has submitted a proposal to raise incentives over the previous year for those who bring in tourists above the target set by the government.

“We are currently considering provisions in the upcoming budget to offer a cash or dollar incentive per tourist above that threshold through the Tourism Development Authority,” he told the gathering when speaking about the plans to boost tourism.

“This would incentivize companies and institutions to bring in higher numbers of tourists.”

The incentive will be paid on the volume exceeding that benchmark, he said.

“For example, if 100 tourists visited previously and 120 arrive the following year, an incentive wouldn’t apply to the base 20, but rather on the excess beyond a certain growth threshold.”

Sri Lanka has pinned hopes over strong tourism growth for more job creating and foreign currency inflows. (Colombo/October 14/2026)