COLOMBO, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan workers overseas have sent home more than 3 billion U.S. dollars in the first five months of 2025, according to the latest data from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).

Remittances reached 3.1 billion dollars during this period, marking an 18.2-percent increase compared to the same timeframe in 2024. In the first five months of last year, workers remitted 2.6 billion dollars, the data shows.

For May 2025 alone, remittances totaled 641.7 million dollars, up from 544.4 million dollars in May 2024.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka earned over 1.54 billion dollars from tourism in the first five months of 2025, an increase from 1.40 billion dollars in the same period last year, according to CBSL data.

Remittances and tourism remain two of the main sources of foreign income for Sri Lanka. ■