With tourist arrivals figure crossing 900,000-mark, Maldives inches closer to tourist arrivals target

With tourist arrivals figure crossing the 900,000-mark by Saturday, Maldives is inching closer to its tourist arrivals target for the ongoing year.

By Saturday, Maldives had welcomed a total of 905,817 arrivals, which is a 122.5 percent increase from the arrivals recorded in 2020, a sluggish year for Maldives tourism due to border-closure. However, 2021’s arrivals so far are a decrease of 29.9 percent in comparison to the over one million arrivals recorded during the same period in 2019, a groundbreaking year for Maldives tourism.

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

Latest daily figures publicized by the Ministry of Tourism reveal that as the year draws to an end, average arrivals currently stand at 3,212 per day, with their stay period recorded at nine days.

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. 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. In September, Maldives welcomed 114,896 tourists, making it the second highest figure recorded so far in 2021.

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

34,955 visitors have been welcomed at Velana International Airport (VIA) between October 1 – 9. October’s arrivals are a 564.8 percent increase from the arrivals recorded in the same period in 2020, however, a 14.3 percent decline from 2019.

Statistics show that the highest daily arrivals so far this ongoing month was recorded on Saturday at 5,192.

At a time the Minister of Tourism had revealed that arrivals from India are expected to grow to top the markets by the end of the year, India remains top source market for Maldives tourism currently dominating 23 percent of total arrivals with over 200,000 arrivals by Tuesday.

Russia follows closely at second contributing 19.4 percent of the arrivals, with 174,095 arrivals by October 5. Third comes Germany contributing 6.3 percent with 55,707 arrivals.

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.