Tourist arrivals figure for August exceeds 100,000

Tourist arrivals recorded so far in August, have surpassed the 100,000-mark.

Latest weekly statistics publicized by the Ministry of Tourism reveal that a total of 110,079 tourists were welcomed between August 1 – 24.

This is the eighth month of the year where more than 100,000 tourist arrivals have been recorded.

Statistics revealed that so far in the Golden Jubilee Year of tourism, the arrival count sits at 1,056,851 which is an increase of 45 percent compared to the same period of 2021 and a 4.8 percent drop from 2019.

This means that Maldives is inching closer to its tourist arrival target for the promising year.

Maldives welcomed its one millionth tourist of the year on August 13. The government reached the one-million arrivals milestone for the promising year , with the arrival of a Czech Republic national, who is on vacation with her partner.

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

Even though the current arrival figures are quite promising, the figures are yet to match those of pre Covid times. As such the ongoing month’s figure is a 5.7 percent drop compared to the arrivals recorded in 2021 and a five percent drop from the figure 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 4,478. The daily average for the ongoing month, is at 4,587.

Further, figures reveal that India remains the top source market for the archipelago nation’s tourism.

Even though Russia had maintained its position as the top source market for Maldives tourism in the past, India has once again become the top tourist market for Maldives, contributing 14.2 percent of the total arrival figure by August 24 with a total of 150,228 arrivals recorded from the neighboring country.

Second comes the United Kingdom, contributing 11.5 percent with 121,407 arrivals.

Coming in third is Russia contributing 11.3 percent with 119,437 arrivals.

Although Ukraine was also 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 war.  

2020 was a sluggish year for Maldives tourism due to the numerous safety precautions implemented in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, alongside border closure. Tourist arrivals began to bounce back with the easing of travel restrictions as well as safety measures against Covid-19 in 2021.

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 for years.

Maldives tourism industry was incepted in 1972.