Gov’t Projects 2.4 Million Tourist Arrivals For Next Year

The government has projected that 2.4 million tourists will visit the Maldives next year, setting a higher target than the goal established for this year.

The official target for 2025 was 2.3 million arrivals. However, with less than two months remaining in the year, the Maldives still needs to attract over 400,000 more visitors to reach that figure. According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Tourism, 1.8 million tourists had visited the country as of Tuesday.

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Despite the government’s optimistic projection, the 2026 state budget book presents a more conservative estimate of 2.2 million tourist arrivals, which is lower than the government’s target.

The budget also anticipates a decline in the average length of tourist stays next year, projecting a 7.2 percent reduction in overnight stays. The current year’s average has not yet been finalised.

China remains the Maldives’ largest source market, with 296,135 arrivals recorded so far this year. Russia follows with 232,834 visitors, while the United Kingdom ranks third with 163,977. Germany and Italy complete the top five, with 137,291 and 121,924 arrivals respectively.

According to official figures, the Maldives currently offers 66,054 tourist beds. The majority, 44,239, are in resorts and marinas, while guesthouses account for 16,068 beds.

A new promotional campaign has also been launched in partnership with Australian company Ignite Travel Group (ITG) to enhance the Maldives’ visibility in key markets.