Tourist Arrivals Increase In Maldives As Average Stay Declines

The Maldives has recorded strong growth in tourist arrivals this year, though the average duration of stay by visitors has declined.

According to the Maldives Monetary Authority’s (MMA) latest economic update released on Sunday, the country welcomed 1,294,868 visitors between January and July. This marked a nine percent increase compared with the same period last year. Total tourist bed nights rose by one percent during the same period.

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Despite the growth in arrivals, the average stay of visitors declined from 7.6 days to 6.9 days. In July alone, the Maldives received 186,738 visitors, representing an 11 percent increase compared with the same month last year.

The MMA attributed the nine percent rise in bed nights mainly to a sharp increase in guesthouse stays. Guesthouse bed nights increased by 55 percent in July, while resort bed nights rose by two percent. The tourism industry’s operational bed capacity increased by 3,114 beds during the month, while the occupancy rate rose from 57 percent to 59 percent.

Arrivals have been supported by strong demand from China and key European markets. China remains the leading source market, reflecting the recovery of outbound travel from the country following the resumption of direct air links, including the launch of Maldivian’s service from Shenzhen in July.

According to the Tourism Ministry’s latest daily update, the Maldives has welcomed 1,482,668 visitors as of Saturday, representing a 9.4 percent increase compared with the same period last year when arrivals stood at 1,355,395.

China leads the market with 234,440 visitors, accounting for 15.8 percent of arrivals. Russia follows with 176,972 visitors, while the United Kingdom ranks third with 133,733. Italy, Germany, India, the United States, France, Spain, and Australia complete the top ten source markets.

In terms of accommodation preferences, 73.4 percent of visitors stayed in resorts, 21.8 percent stayed in guesthouses on local islands, 2.6 percent stayed in hotels, and 2 percent stayed on liveaboard vessels.

Tourist arrivals are expected to increase further following the opening of the new international passenger terminal at Velana International Airport on 26 July. The facility has the capacity to handle 7.5 million passengers annually, easing congestion at the country’s main gateway.

The Maldives recorded two million tourist arrivals last year. The island nation, which was named the World’s Leading Destination at the World Travel Awards for the fifth consecutive year in 2024, aims to raise arrivals to 2.3 million this year.