Sri Lanka’s tourism sector is experiencing noticeable booking cancellations due to the Middle East crisis, the Sri Lanka Inbound Tour Operators Association (SLAITO) warned. With nearly 30% of arrivals reliant on Middle Eastern transit hubs, disruptions to air travel are impacting visitor flows. SLAITO called for urgent, coordinated action involving the Government, SriLankan Airlines and tourism authorities to reassess aviation and marketing strategies. It also proposed temporary incentives to attract airlines from non-conflict regions and urged a pivot towards Asian markets. The association stressed that swift action is critical to safeguarding Sri Lanka’s tourism recovery momentum.