Tourism sees 2% increase after drop in arrivals due to Iran war

After experiencing a prolonged decline in tourist arrivals due to the conflict in the Middle East that began in February, the Maldives an increase in arrivals by two percent.

The geopolitical tensions in the region, which intensified following strikes carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28, continue to persist. The conflict prompted the closure of several Middle Eastern airspaces, forcing multiple airlines to suspend operations.

The disruption of key Middle Eastern flight routes, considered crucial for travel to the Maldives, contributed to a decline in tourist arrivals over the past three months. However, the latest statistics published by the Tourism Ministry on Thursday indicate a positive trend, with arrivals beginning to recover.

According to figures from the Ministry, tourist arrivals in May has reached 122,548 as of last Wednesday, reflecting a 2.6 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Despite the monthly increase, the total number of tourists visiting the Maldives so far this year remains four percent lower than figures recorded during the corresponding period last year. To date, the Maldives has welcomed 923,984 tourists, compared to 962,242 arrivals during the same period in the previous year.

The year began on a positive note, with arrivals increasing by five percent in January, followed by a 15.7 percent rise in February. However, the onset of the conflict led to a sharp downturn, with arrivals falling by 20.7 percent in March and declining further by 24.4 percent in April.

China, Russia, and the United Kingdom continue to rank as the leading source markets for Maldivian tourism this year, in line with previous trends. China and Russia have each contributed more than 100,000 tourists, while arrivals from the United Kingdom currently stand at 79,473.

India, another key market for the tourism industry, currently ranks sixth, with 50,747 visitors recorded so far this year.

Of the total tourist arrivals, 640,988 visitors chose to stay at resorts, while 218,773 tourists spent their holidays in guesthouses.

Leading industry associations have stated that disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict have resulted in estimated losses of USD 500 million to the tourism sector. Industry stakeholders have also called on the government to provide support measures to assist the sector’s recovery from the financial impact.

The government has assured that efforts are ongoing to stabilize the situation and diversify tourism source markets in order to increase arrivals.