Sri Lanka, Jan. 21 -- UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake raised serious concerns in Parliament over what he described as a growing disconnect between Sri Lanka's record tourist arrivals and the weak flow of foreign exchange into the country's official financial system.

Speaking in Parliament, Karunanayake noted that Sri Lanka recorded more than 2.36 million tourist arrivals in 2025, yet total tourism earnings rose only marginally to about USD 3.22 billion. He pointed out that average spending per tourist had declined by nearly 12 percent year-on-year, even as arrivals surged, raising questions about the quality and sustainability of tourism growth.

He also said that tourism-related foreign exchange inflows reflected in the reserves of the Central...