Sri Lanka’s adventure tourism market to reach $ 2.1 billion by 2035
The Morning: Sri Lanka’s adventure tourism market which offers commercially operated outdoor activities such as hiking and trekking, is estimated to reach $ 780 million by 2025, and is further projected to expand to $ 2.1 billion by 2035, according to Future Market Insights Inc.
“This represents a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5% over the ten-year period, underscoring the island’s rising appeal as a premier destination for adventure and eco-tourism in South Asia,” the report said.
The website credited the rising global interest in the island to a trend in global travel preference for experiential and sustainable tourism.
“Sri Lanka’s diverse topography – ranging from misty central highlands to coastal rainforests – has emerged as a significant draw. The country’s expanding network of eco-lodges, national parks, and well-maintained hiking trails are driving growth in nature-based travel in Sri Lanka.”
The report named Adam’s Peak (Sri Pada), the Knuckles Mountain Range, and Horton Plains, as top attractive trails, adding that newer trekking routes in Ella, Belihuloya, and Nuwara Eliya are gaining international attention too.
“The government’s efforts to integrate sustainable tourism practices and enhance rural tourism infrastructure are further contributing to the growth of the Sri Lanka trekking tourism sector,” the report said.
It further stated that the local business of hiking and trekking tourism has made significant economic contributions to the local communities across the Central and Uva Provinces.
“The projected $ 2.1 billion market size by 2035 signals not just financial growth but also the creation of employment opportunities in rural areas, bolstering community-led conservation and hospitality initiatives.”
The report stated that a 2025-35 industry forecast highlights several key trends that will shape the hiking and trekking industry in Sri Lanka, which includes: The convergence of digital nomad and wellness travel, cultural-heritage hiking experiences, social media driven outdoor adventures, and sustainable travel commitments.
Sri Lanka’s tourism arrivals posted 18% growth in arrivals in May, continuing its year-on-year (y-o-y) growth trend seen in April from the previous year’s arrivals, data published by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) shows.
The SLTDA reported that 33,910 international tourists visited the island during the first week of May, a significant improvement from the 28,526 recorded during the same period last year.
Alternatively, the statistics published also show a 14.46% increase in arrivals recorded between January and May, from those posted during the same time period in 2024.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s steadily growing tourism industry would witness further growth with the expansion of tourism concepts promoted by the country. Apart from the promotional campaigns being carried out in old and new tourist source markets, the expansion of tourism concepts has also helped the overall growth of the country’s tourism industry. All these factors indicate the expansion in the business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. From the opportunities in the leisure and hospitality sectors, the business/investment opportunities also include the development of infrastructure and supplementary infrastructure facilities required by the growing tourism industry. The interest shown by foreign businesses/investors including international leisure and hospitality brands as well as the expansion programmes undertaken by businesses already engaged in the tourism industry indicate the growing business potential in the industry. Given the steady growth in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry and related sectors, foreign businesses/investors could confidently explore the expanding opportunities while also looking at expanding operations through local collaborations.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20250520/Z_1 |