Colombo

Colombo, Sri Lanka, scores 69 on the TRAIL Index of tourism resilience, #68 of 310 destinations. 26 of 29 measures come from public sources, with 67% confidence. Every grade below states its value, period and source.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• TRAIL Index: 69
• OECD: 61
• UN Tourism: 69
• UNDRR: 51

Strongest

• Extreme heat days: 1.2 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Short-let density: 0.2 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA & Department of Census and Statistics Sri Lanka, August 2026). At or below 0.5: grade 4/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (metro figure) (Airport and Aviation Services Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Railways, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Road Development Authority, 2024). At or above 4: grade 4/4.

Weakest

• Wastewater safely treated: 2.2 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (UN-Water / UN-Habitat, Progress on Wastewater Treatment (SDG 6.3.1), 2020). Below 50: grade 0/4.
• Tropical nights: 364.4 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Above 100: grade 0/4.
• Early warning and emergency plan: A national system only; no city plan found (Disaster Management Centre (DMC) of Sri Lanka, 2024). Grade 1/4.

Sri Lanka in the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index

Sri Lanka is #69 of 110 countries (3.85 of 7) in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026, which scores countries, not cities. Cities in countries with that WEF score average 57 on the TRAIL Index; Colombo is 12 above that.

Every measure, by theme

Demand and seasonality: 71

• Nights in the three busiest months: 32.9 % of annual nights (country figure) (Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), Year in Review 2024, 2024). Between 30 and 35: grade 3/4. Source
• Domestic share of nights: 35.3 % of nights by residents of the same country (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research by World Travel & Tourism Council; Travel & Tourism by World Travel & Tourism Council), 2026). Between 35 and 45: grade 3/4. Source
• Largest foreign market: 20.3 % of international arrivals or nights (country figure) (Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), Year in Review 2024, 2024). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4. Source
• Recovery against 2019: 101 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (country figure) (Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority / Road Genius, 2024). Between 100 and 110: grade 3/4. Source
• Average length of stay: 8.4 nights per visitor (country figure) (Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), Annual Statistical Report 2023, 2023). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4. Source
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 60 % average annual occupancy (Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) / Hospitality Sri Lanka, 2023). Between 55 and 65: grade 2/4. Source

Economy and jobs: 75

• Jobs in tourism industries: 5.2 % of employment in accommodation and food services (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research by World Travel & Tourism Council; Travel & Tourism by World Travel & Tourism Council), 2026). At or below 8: grade 4/4. Source
• Unemployment rate: 3.9 % of the labour force (country figure) (Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, 2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4. Source
• Income per head: 17,065 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 15,000 and 30,000: grade 1/4. Source
• Economic diversity: 75.3 % of employment outside accommodation, food, retail and transport (country figure) (Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Socio-Economic Data 2025 (Labour Force and Employment / DCS Labour Force Survey), 2024). Between 72 and 80: grade 3/4. Source

Climate and hazards: 45

• Extreme heat days: 1.2 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4. Source
• Tropical nights: 364.4 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Above 100: grade 0/4. Source
• Flood hazard: high (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 1/4. Source
• Wildfire and storm hazard: high (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 1/4. Source
• Country disaster risk: 3.4 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). Between 2 and 3.5: grade 3/4. Source
• Greenhouse gas emissions per resident: not measured yet

Water and environment: 56

• Water scarcity: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4. Source
• Wastewater safely treated: 2.2 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (UN-Water / UN-Habitat, Progress on Wastewater Treatment (SDG 6.3.1), 2020). Below 50: grade 0/4. Source
• Municipal waste per resident: 346.8 kg per resident per year (Colombo Municipal Council / RTI Sri Lanka, 2020). At or below 350: grade 4/4. Source
• Green space: 23.2 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (metro figure) (Urban Development Authority (UDA), Sri Lanka, 'Mapping Urban Tree Canopy Loss as an Indicator of Development Pressure in the Colombo Metropolitan Area (2004–2024)', 2024). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4. Source
• Energy use per resident: not measured yet

Community and housing: 100

• Tourism intensity: not measured yet
• Cruise pressure: not measured yet
• Rent growth: not measured yet
• Short-let density: 0.2 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA & Department of Census and Statistics Sri Lanka, August 2026). At or below 0.5: grade 4/4. Source
• Resident support for tourism: not measured yet

Access and continuity: 58

• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (metro figure) (Airport and Aviation Services Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Railways, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Road Development Authority, 2024). At or above 4: grade 4/4. Source
• Air traffic recovery: not measured yet
• Rail share of intercity access: not measured yet
• Rail traffic recovery: not measured yet
• Largest airline group share: not measured yet
• Air route concentration: not measured yet
• Early warning and emergency plan: A national system only; no city plan found (Disaster Management Centre (DMC) of Sri Lanka, 2024). Grade 1/4. Source
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A written destination crisis plan (Ministry of Tourism and Lands / Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), 2022-2025). Grade 2/4. Source
• Government effectiveness: 41.5 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). Between 40 and 60: grade 2/4. Source
• Travel advisory: 2 stricter of the US and Canadian government advisory for the country, 1 (normal precautions) to 4 (do not travel) (country figure) (US State Department and Government of Canada travel advisories, 2026-09-29). Between 1 and 2: grade 3/4. Source
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source such as a tourist tax or levy (Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) & Tourism Act No. 38 of 2005, 2024). Grade 2/4. Source

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