Maldives has welcomed 359,272 tourists so far in 2022.
This was revealed by the Ministry of Tourism in its most recent statistics publicized on Friday.
The statistics revealed that the country saw 324,742 arrivals between January 1 – March 16, of which 131,764 tourists were welcomed during January and 149,011 arrivals were recorded in February.
Between March 1 – 16, Maldives welcomed 78,500 arrivals.
Daily tourist arrivals recorded so far in March are as follows:
- 5,202 tourist arrivals were recorded on March 1
- 3,987 tourist arrivals were recorded on March 2
- 4,731 tourist arrivals were recorded on March 3
- 4,797 tourist arrivals were recorded on March 4
- 6,369 tourist arrivals were recorded on March 5
- 6,174 tourist arrivals were recorded on March 6
- 5,075 tourist arrivals were recorded on March 7
- 4,197 tourist arrivals were recorded on March 8
- 3,439 tourist arrivals were recorded on March 9
- 4,510 tourist arrivals were recorded on March 10
- 4,595 tourist arrivals were recorded on March 11
- 5,759 tourist arrivals were recorded on March 12
- 6,131 tourist arrivals were recorded on March 13
- 4,983 tourist arrivals were recorded on March 14
The Ministry went on to reveal that arrivals so far in March are an increase of 49.7 percent in comparison to the arrivals recorded in the same period in 2021; 52,422. It is also higher in comparison to the 56,838 arrivals recorded in the same period of 2020, but a decline compared to the over 81,000 arrivals recorded in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic broke out.
In addition to this, the total arrival figure so far this year is a 48.8 percent increase in comparison to the arrivals recorded in 2021.
The statistics go on to indicate that tourists are staying in the Maldives for an average of eight days this promising year, with daily arrivals being maintained at an average of 4,790.
Although India was the top source market for Maldives tourism by the end of 2021, the neighboring country currently ranks third in the top 10 markets for the Golden Jubilee of Tourism year.
Russia contributes the greatest number of arrivals to the Maldives so far, with 49,364 arrivals having been recorded from the country between January 1 – March 16. The country boasts 13.7 percent of the arrival count.
Following at Russia’s tail is the United Kingdom with 40,672 visitors and contributing 11.3 percent.
India ranks third contributing 10.1 percent with 36,349 arrivals.
Other top tourism markets so far in 2022 are:
- Germany contributing eight percent with 28,796 arrivals
- Italy contributing 6.9 percent with 24,890 arrivals
- France contributing 4.9 percent with 17,693 arrivals
- United States contributing 4.1 percent with 14,816 arrivals
- Saudi Arabia contributing 2.4 percent with 8,726 arrivals
- Switzerland contributing 2.3 percent with 8,190 arrivals
- Ukraine contributing 2.3 percent with 8,121 arrivals
Before coronavirus began sweeping across the globe, the top 10 markets for Maldives tourism in 2019 were China, India, Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, Russia, France, United States, Japan and Australia.
The average duration stay recorded during 2019 was six and in the year that followed, it rose to seven. 2021 saw tourists spending an average of eight days in the archipelago nation.
During 2020, Maldives recorded 555,494 tourist arrivals, which was a drastic plunge from the previous year’s 1,702,887 arrivals. Maldives met its tourist arrival target for 2021 in late December and welcomed a total of 1,321,932 tourists by the end of the year.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in his presidential address on February 3, revealed that Maldives aims to welcome 1.6 million tourists this year.
The ministry at the beginning of the year facilitated the introduction of Homestay in the Maldives as well, with the first of its kind launched in Dhiggaru island of Meemu atoll.
This came under the president’s tourism development vision and policy to make tourism and its benefits to the island communities, accessible.
It has been 50 years since zealous travelers have been visiting the Maldives which has been drawing in visitors with its picturesque beauty for years. Maldives marks 50 years since the tourism industry’s inception, in 2022, dubbed the golden year of tourism in Maldives.
Minister of Tourism, Dr. Abdulla Mausoom earlier revealed that Maldives aims to win the World Leading Destination Award during the golden jubilee year as well and expressed hope to reach newer heights in the tourism success story with the inception of the Homestay tourism.
