Minister: Maldives tourism recovered in July after monthslong dip due to Mideast conflict

The Maldives tourism sector experienced a monthslong dip in arrivals due to major disruptions across key airports in the Middle East, but was able to bounce back in July, says Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Ameen.

Ameen made the remark during the Visit Maldives’ Q3 briefing on Thursday morning.

The military conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran broke out on February 28, when US and Israeli forces launched a massive wave of airstrikes on Iran. The confrontation has since evolved into a persistent regional conflict.

The conflict heavily impacted Maldivian tourism through major air route disruptions, airspace closures, and transit bottlenecks across Middle East aviation hubs.

At Thursday’s briefing, Ameen said the impact on Maldives tourism lasted four long months, before the sector bounced back in early July.

He attributed this to concentrated efforts by the government and Maldivian tourism stakeholders to overcome the challenges.

Ameen said that the government continues to work on strengthening existing markets and exploring new ones.

He noted that the Maldives launched direct flights to Australia in May, and said that Ethiopian Airlines was expected to launch flights to the country at the end of this year or during the first quarter of next year.

The Maldives tourism promotion board has announced plans to launch the Visit Maldives Year 2027 campaign – aimed at boosting arrivals to the country.

Ameen said that the main purpose of the campaign is to further expand Maldives tourism, and open new opportunities for the people and islands.

He said that another key purpose is to build up the resilience of Maldives tourism against global challenges.

He provided assurance of the government’s full support for efforts to develop the country’s tourism sector.

“All initiatives related to tourism are efforts that everyone can get involved in. The key role of the government is to establish a good environment for this national initiative. God willing, we provide assurance we will facilitate a good environment for everyone for these efforts,” he said.

Ameen stressed that the success of the Visit Maldives Year 2027 campaign depends on everyone’s support.

He said that the natural beauty of the Maldives is just one part of the country’s tourism identity, and the rest is the warm hospitality the Maldivian people are famous for.

Ameen also hailed the resilience of the Maldives tourism industry in overcoming challenges and adapting to change, something which he said provides a strong foundation to launch the campaign.

According to Ameen, a 2025 survey shows over 85 percent of tourists who visit the Maldives wish to revisit the country, while over 90 percent recommend Maldives to others.

Meanwhile, an overwhelming 80 percent expressed satisfaction with their experience in the Maldives.