Two more guesthouses resumes operations, operational tourist beds pushed to 59,835

Two more guesthouse has resumed operations.

This was revealed by the latest statistics publicized by the Ministry of Tourism.

The Ministry's statistics shows that all of the registered guesthouses has now resumed their operations.

Statistics shows that a total of 1,205 tourist accommodation facilities are currently operational across Maldives, with a total of 59,835 tourist beds.

Operational facilities include 168 resorts, 863 guesthouses, 13 hotels and 158 live-aboard vessels.

The total number of operational beds span across resorts, hotels, guesthouses and live-aboard vessels including 41,081 in resorts, 1,616 in hotels, 14,180 in guesthouses and 2,918 in live-aboard vessels.

Maldives currently has a capacity of 1,209 tourist facilities which include 158 safari vessels, 863 guesthouses, 13 hotels and 172 resorts. Four resorts are yet to resume operations.

The ministry introduced Homestay in the Maldives in January, since then three homestay facilities have been opened. This comes under the President’s tourism development vision and policy to make tourism and its benefits accessible to the island communities as well.

After the Covid-19 pandemic Maldives re-opened borders on 15 July 2020 nearly four months since borders were closed, and at first, resorts and live-aboard vessels were given the green light to begin operations. Guesthouses outside of the Greater Malé Region were permitted to resume operations on 15 October 2020. Authorities allowed the reopening of guesthouses in the capital region on 14 December 2020.

So far in 2022, Maldives has welcomed a total of 1,671,628 tourists between January 1 – December 26. This is an increase of 26.8 percent from 2021 but a 1.8 percent decline from 2019.

December’s figures are an increase of 9.5 percent from the previous year and a 7 percent increase from 2019’s figure in the same period.

The daily average for this year remains at 4,913 and tourists are staying in the Maldives for an average of eight days.

The total arrival figure so far this year, includes 131,764 tourists welcomed during January, 149,008 tourist arrivals during February, 150,739 tourists welcomed during March and 145,280 tourists welcomed during April. 125,522 tourists were welcomed during May followed by 110,889 tourists in June and 133,561 tourists welcomed during July. In August, Maldives welcomed 131,862 tourists, followed by 111,986 in September.

In October, the archipelago nation observed 153,737 arrivals.

Maldives welcomed a total of 146,886 tourists during November.

So far in December, 136,839 tourists have been welcomed.

Maldives achieved its tourist arrival target for 2022, with the arrival of 1.6 millionth tourist, on 19 December.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, in his address at the opening of the Parliament for the year on February 3, 2022, announced the administration's ambition to attract over 1.6 million tourists this year.

The Maldives reached the target with the combined efforts of relevant government agencies, the private sector, and industry stakeholders.

The golden jubilee year of tourism holds a record for milestones related to the tourism sector. As such, Maldives has been crowned the World’s Leading Destination thrice in a row.

Minister of Tourism, Dr. Abdulla Mausoom notes that this quick rebound of Maldives tourism to pre-pandemic level is a clear indication of the visionary leadership of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, sound tourism policies and the strong partnership between the government and the private sector.

In 2021, the Maldives achieved its target of attracting 1.3 million tourists two months before the year's end.