Maldives has welcomed more than 498,000 tourists so far in the Golden Jubilee Year of tourism.
This was revealed by the Ministry of Tourism in its most recent daily statistics, publicized on April 14.
The statistics go on to reveal that the country saw 498,235 arrivals between January 1 – April 13, of which 131,764 tourists were welcomed during January and 149,008 arrivals were recorded in February, followed by 150,739 arrivals in March.
So far in April, Maldives has welcomed 66,724 tourists, which is a 50.7 percent growth in comparison to the arrivals recorded in 2021. However, it is a 2.7 percent decrease from the figure recorded in 2019.
In addition to this, the total arrival figure so far this year is a 45.3 percent increase in comparison to the arrivals recorded in 2021. It his however, a 9.7 percent decrease from the arrivals recorded in the same period of 2019.
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 4,837.
Daily tourist arrivals recorded so far in April are as follows:
- 4,888 tourist arrivals were recorded on April 1
- 5,022 tourist arrivals were recorded on April 2
- 6,147 tourist arrivals were recorded on April 3
- 4,822 tourist arrivals were recorded on April 4
- 4,602 tourist arrivals were recorded on April 5
- 3,487 tourist arrivals were recorded on April 6
- 4,217 tourist arrivals were recorded on April 7
- 5,107 tourist arrivals were recorded on April 8
- 6,463 tourist arrivals were recorded on April 9
- 6,522 tourist arrivals were recorded on April 10
- 5,652 tourist arrivals were recorded on April 11
- 5,426 tourist arrivals were recorded on April 12
Further, the ministry revealed that although Russia maintained its position as the top source market for Maldives tourism over the past few months, the country’s market has toppled and been replaced with the United Kingdom.
As such, the figures revealed that as of April 13, UK contributes the greatest number of arrivals to the Maldives so far, contributing 13.2 percent of the total arrival count between January 1 – April 13.
Second comes India, contributing 10.9 percent with 54,532 arrivals. Russia ranks third contributing 10.8 percent with 53,716 arrivals.
Although Ukraine was included among the top 10 markets for Maldives tourism earlier, it has since been replaced. Arrivals from Ukraine have been plummeting due to the ongoing conflict.
Other top tourism markets so far in 2022 are:
- Germany contributing 8.8 percent with 43,875 arrivals,
- Italy contributing 6.9 percent with 34,220 arrivals,
- United States contributing 4.5 percent with 22,658 arrivals,
- France contributing 4.5 percent with 22,476 arrivals,
- Switzerland contributing 2.4 percent with 11,884 arrivals,
- Austria contributing 2.1 percent with 10,648 arrivals,
- Saudi Arabia contributing two percent with 10,199 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.
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.
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.
Maldives also won the Most Preferred Tourist Destination 2021 at the Global MICE Congress and Awards 2022 held in March. At the awards, Maldives one the award of the Most Preferred Tourist Destination 2021 and Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) won the award for the “Best Marketing Initiative of the year”.
