Maldives has welcomed its one millionth tourist of the ongoing year.

The government reached the one-million arrivals milestone for the promising year on Friday, with the arrival of a Czech Republic national, who is on vacation with her partner.

With this, Maldives is inching closer to its tourist arrivals target for 2022, at 1.6 million arrivals.

Speaking to media at the ceremony held at Velana International Airport (VIA) to welcome the millionth tourist, State Minister of Tourism Dr. Ahmed Salih revealed that the ministry predicts to reach the tourist arrival target for this year, within the upcoming three months.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in his presidential address on February 3, revealed that Maldives aims to welcome 1.6 million tourists this year.

As Maldives has crossed the one-million arrivals goal on Friday, the total tourist arrivals figure from January 1 to August 8 sits at 983,766.

Total arrivals for the year are a 51 percent increase from the arrivals recorded in 2021. It is however, a decline of 4.8 percent compared to the figures recorded in 2019.

2020 was a sluggish year for Maldives tourism due to border-closure.

Of the total arrivals figure recorded so far this year, 131,764 tourists were welcomed during January and 149,008 arrivals were recorded in February, followed by 150,739 arrivals in March and 145,280 during April. In May, Maldives welcomed 125,522 tourists, while June saw 110,889 tourists arriving in the Maldives followed by 133,561 arrivals in July. 26,926 arrivals were recorded in the first week of August.

The CEO and Managing Director of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), Thoyyib Mohamed remarked on this significant accomplishment, applauding all involved in the efforts to make the milestone possible despite the many obstacles in the face of the global crises.

India continues to top the Maldives tourist arrival markets, halfway into 2022. Second comes the United Kingdom followed by Russia.

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.

It has been 50 years since zealous travelers have been visiting the Maldives which has been drawing in visitors with its picturesque beauty.

Maldives marks 50 years in 2022 since the tourism industry’s inception in 1972.