Speaking at the event in Pullman Auckland, assistant director of marketing Chami Lanka Gasnawage noted that Kiwi arrivals rose 19.2% to 13,456 in 2025. With 7,876 visitors between January and July 2026, the target is 15,000 by year-end, with a focus on attracting higher-spending travellers.
‘Sri Lanka’s diversity, compactness and authenticity offer visitors everything except deserts and snow,’ she adds.
Highlighting longstanding ties, High Commissioner Prasanna Gamage notes that 2027 will mark 100 years since cricket was first played between New Zealand and Sri Lanka — a milestone celebrating enduring connections.
Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau chairman Buddhika Hewawasam describes Sri Lanka as a ‘365 days-a-year destination, with sunshine often found on one side when rain falls on the other.’
With its 2,500-year-old civilisation and indigenous medicinal traditions, Sri Lanka is increasingly focusing on wellness, with Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort, backed by 200 years of tradition, recently named Asia-Pacific’s Best Holistic Health and Wellness in 2026.
Suppliers also note that Sri Lanka’s appeal lies in its variety. Travellers can combine culture, nature, wildlife, tea and cuisine, before ending their itinerary on the beach.
