Maldives tourist arrivals for the year has topped 800,000 by Monday.

As the country inches closer to its tourist arrival target of 1.3 million for the year, by September 13 Maldives recorded 809,764 arrivals, of which 53,798 have been welcomed during the ongoing month.

In its daily statistics, the Ministry of Tourism revealed that September’s arrivals so far are a 9.2 percent increased in comparison to the 49,261 arrivals recorded during the same period in 2019. Due to borders having been closed from March 27 – July 15 last year, only 3,924 arrivals were recorded during this period in 2020.

September’s daily average for arrivals remain above 4,000. With the highest daily rise having been recorded at 4,862 on Sunday. The lowest arrivals this month was recorded on Friday at 3,244.

Of the total arrivals figure recorded so far this year, 92,103 tourist arrivals were recorded during January and 96,882 visitors were welcomed during February. Arrivals in March were at 109,585 making it the second highest figure recorded so far in 2021. In April Maldives welcomed 91,200 arrivals, followed by 64,613 visitors in May.

The number dropped to 56,166 during the month that followed, which the ministry believed to be linked to the restrictions and precautionary measures implemented in the face of a worsening Covid-19 situation as a fourth and more infectious wave was confirmed in early May. July saw 101,818 visitors welcomed into the Maldives.

Maldives broke its monthly tourist arrivals records with figures topping 143,599 in August.

Tourist arrivals have begun to bounce back with the easing of travel restrictions as well as safety measures against Covid-19.

Statistics indicate that tourist arrivals recorded so far this year is an increase of 104.4 percent in comparison to the same period last year. It is however, a 31.6 percent plunge in comparison to the over one million arrivals of 2019, a groundbreaking year for Maldives tourism.

While Russia continued to dominate the Maldives tourism markets within the first few months of the year after arrivals from India started declining following the travel restrictions imposed on visitors from South Asia back in May as the Covid-19 situation in the region worsened, India has once again topped the charts and currently dominates the tourism markets contributing 22.4 percent of arrivals.

Russia follows closely at its tail contributing 20.4 percent. Third comes Germany contributing 5.9 percent.

United States, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Spain, United Kingdom, Kazakhstan and France are also considered some of the biggest tourist markets for the Maldives.

Maldives exceeded last year’s total during July this year and the ministry notes that the country’s arrival rate is gaining momentum as restrictions placed in the face of Covid-19, have been eased.

Maldives is gearing up to mark 50 years since the tourism industry’s inception, in 2022, which is to be celebrated as the golden year of tourism in Maldives.

During 2020, Maldives recorded 555,494 tourist arrivals, which was a drastic plunge from the previous year’s 1,702,887 arrivals.