Sri Lanka proves to be a hit

Holiday carrier Edelweiss recently introduced several new routes. However, not all of the destinations are gaining traction right away—Seattle and Tbilisi, for instance, are only just beginning to see activity.

The booking situation is quite different for the two new nonstop flights to Colombo. Starting October 28, Edelweiss will serve Zurich—Colombo on Tuesdays and Fridays, no longer as a triangular flight via Malé. Colombo appears to be proving a hit.

Numerous setbacks

Once a hugely popular travel destination for Swiss people, Sri Lanka has had a difficult six years. In 2019, Sri Lanka experienced a terrorist attack, and the pandemic brought the country to its knees. Due to the tourism disruption, foreign currency was scarce, along with fuel, cooking gas, and medicines. Prices for basic foodstuffs skyrocketed, leading to government upheavals.

Since 2024, a more stable government has brought a significant calm, and tourist numbers are rising significantly. In March, the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau announced a 35 percent increase in arrivals from German-speaking markets for the first two months.

Travelnews spoke with three top Sri Lanka travel providers to discover what makes a trip to the island nation so special.

Record year in sight

«Our figures for Sri Lanka have tripled by May 2025 compared to the entire year of 2023,» says Thomas Meier, Managing Director of Manta Reisen, describing the steep growth. «If the current trend continues, we will again reach the record year of 2018 with 2.3 million tourist arrivals this year. Our booking levels are even 20 percent higher than in 2018, making it a record year.»

Stephan Roemer , CEO of Tourasia, is delighted with Sri Lanka's comeback: «We've more than doubled bookings this year.» After numerous challenges, Sri Lanka is now on the right track to recovery. «Tourism is of vital importance to the country. 48 percent of the population works in the tourism and service sectors, and this sector generates a large portion of foreign currency.»

«We have not only returned to pre-pandemic levels for Sri Lanka tours, but have already exceeded them,» says Danila Eiselt , Sri Lanka expert at Insight Reisen. This is a strong signal of the increased interest in culture, nature, and authentic encounters. «We expect demand to remain stable in 2025—and we also see further potential for continued growth for Ayurveda stays.»

Small country, lots to experience

According to Stephan Roemer, Sri Lanka is considered a year-round destination, and the east coast, in particular, is also suitable for a summer stay, with ideal bathing conditions and affordable prices. The Arab carriers Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways are particularly popular, as are Sri Lankan via Paris and Frankfurt to Colombo; starting October 28, the two weekly non-stop flights with Edelweiss will also be offered.

«Sri Lanka is only one and a half times the size of Switzerland and can be easily explored in two weeks,» says Asia expert Stephan Roemer. «I recommend a seven- or ten-day tour with numerous cultural highlights, many natural experiences, and an insight into the religions—and finally, a few days by the sea to relax." He also emphasizes that Sri Lanka is not a mass tourism destination, and even the manageable-sized hotels are not designed for that. «Those who want to get away from the crowds will find Sri Lanka a wonderful travel destination.»

For Danila Eiselt, who has already spent several months in Sri Lanka, one thing is clear: «Sri Lanka is uniquely captivating and extremely diverse. The compact island is perfect for exploring in a relaxed and safe manner, even as a family with children. Here, stunning beaches meet fascinating culture, pristine national parks, and delicious cuisine—all in a single, manageable destination.»

Despite its excellent tourist infrastructure, Sri Lanka is far removed from mass tourism and offers travelers genuine, authentic encounters with incredibly friendly and open people. «Insight Reisen's tailor-made private tours open the door to unforgettable experiences—whether observing wildlife in national parks, discovering ancient temples, or enjoying warm hospitality.» Sri Lanka is a true gem that simply has to be experienced.

Traces from the colonial era

Thomas Meier raves about the enormous, surprising diversity in a relatively small space. «The island is a green pearl with inspiring flora and fauna, a wide variety of landscapes and vegetation zones between a stunning coastline and a highland with peaks over 2,500 meters high.» Added to this is the over 2,000-year history with cultural assets and buildings from antiquity, interspersed with traces of the colonial era. According to the travel expert, the island also boasts a vibrant, colorful lifestyle and an exceptionally hospitable population.

Meier poses the question, «Where else can I experience temple ruins from the beginnings of Buddhism, English mansions and tea factories, spectacular mountain landscapes with waterfalls, but also rainforests, fertile plains with numerous reservoirs, and steppe-like landscapes with elephants, crocodiles, or leopards in one week, before relaxing for a few days on the coast, surfing, or pampering myself with Ayurveda?»

Where is Sri Lanka heading?

The country's heavy dependence on tourism has brought difficult years for the population. «Along with agriculture, tea, and textile production, the tourism and service sectors are extremely important for the people and employees,» says Stephan Roemer, who is pleased that the country is now experiencing an upswing.

When asked about the infrastructure, Danila Eiselt says: «The hotel industry impresses with its high quality, sustainability is actively practiced—for example, in animal welfare and the avoidance of plastic—and the vehicles, drivers, and guides also meet very high standards.» He points out that the road conditions in major cities like Colombo have potential for improvement and could be optimized for greater comfort and safety.

She also notes that certain attractions such as Yala National Park or the iconic train route from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya are very popular, «which can lead to some overcrowding during peak season. And in the north of the country, we still see potential for further tourism development—​​the infrastructure and offerings here are less developed. With targeted investments, this region could become an exciting addition to the existing Sri Lanka experience in the future.»

Thomas Meier hopes that the political and economic recovery will continue to strengthen and gain stability—«not only for tourism, but especially for the local population. From a tourism perspective, we are also affected by a shortage of skilled workers in Sri Lanka, especially when it comes to good tour guides for our tours.» Furthermore, he says, greater investment is needed in the country's infrastructure, especially in the further expansion of traffic routes and means of transport. It would be of great benefit if even more remote regions in the north and east of the country were more easily accessible.

«Despite the recent boom, I don't want to see hasty development with oversized projects or overcapacities like elsewhere,» says the Manta CEO, «but rather sustainable, carefully coordinated growth.»