Tourist arrivals fall again as Maldives records another monthly drop

The Maldives has recorded 1.16 million tourist arrivals so far this year, a 4.8 percent decline compared with the same period last year, according to the latest weekly update from the Ministry of Tourism.

During the same period in 2023, the Maldives welcomed 1.21 million tourists. This year’s total includes 15,577 cruise-ship passengers.

Daily arrivals have also fallen. An average of 5,893 tourists entered the country per day this year, compared with 6,192 last year.

China remains the top source market, followed by Russia and the UK. The leading markets so far are:  

• China: 190,016 arrivals  

• Russia: 164,067 arrivals  

• UK: 91,574 arrivals  

• Italy: 76,549 arrivals  

• Germany: 71,238 arrivals  

• India: 67,687 arrivals  

Most tourists, 72.6 percent, stayed in resorts, while 22.9 percent chose guesthouses.

Velana International Airport (VIA) received the overwhelming majority of visitors, with 1.13 million arrivals. In comparison, 4,304 tourists entered through Gan International Airport in Addu City.

The decline comes during the Maldives’ traditional low-season period. In addition, officials and industry stakeholders say the war in the Middle East, which began on February 28, has contributed to reduced travel demand and lower dollar inflows.

The impact has been visible in monthly arrival trends. Tourist arrivals fell 20.7 percent in March, 24.4 percent in April, and after a slight 1.7 percent increase in May, numbers dropped again by 12 percent in June.

The industry continues to face pressure as global travel disruptions and weakened regional demand affect visitor numbers.