Russia continues to top the tourist arrival markets contributing 11.4 percent of the market share
Tourists at Velana International Airport (VIA)
The tourist arrivals recorded in October 2023 has topped 126,051.
This was revealed by the Ministry of Tourism in its latest weekly statistics, publicized on Thursday.
Statistics revealed that the tourist arrivals for the 10th month of the ongoing year had surpassed 126,000 as the month draws nearer to ending.
The ministry’s statistics indicate that the arrival figure for the ongoing month is a three percent surge compared to the 122,382 arrivals recorded in the same period last year and the 112,775 tourists welcomed during the same period in 2021.
The daily average for October is 5,042 and tourists stay for an average of seven days.
Statistics go on to reveal that since the new year began, a total of 1,487,099 tourists have touched down in the archipelago nation.
Monthly figures show that 172,499 tourists were welcomed during January, 177,915 in February, 173,514 in March, 164,357 in April, 120,959 in May, 120,363 during June, 145,629 in July, 154,854 in August and 130,967 during September. Although the figures dropped in May and June, they were still higher than 100,000 arrivals.
This year’s arrival figure is an increase of 13.3 percent from the 1,313,011 arrivals recorded in the same period last year, and a significant growth from the 983,637 arrivals recorded in 2021.
The daily average for 2023 is at 4,990 and tourists are staying in the Maldives for an average of seven days.
Maldives hit its one millionth tourist arrival of the ongoing year on July 16.
Further, the ministry’s figures go on to reveal that Russia continues to top the tourist arrival markets contributing 11.4 percent of the market share with 170,097 arrivals by October 25.
As such, although India topped the tourist markets for Maldives halfway through the year, it was replaced by Russia recently. 2022 ended with the neighboring country as the top source market for Maldives tourism.
The neighboring country overtook Russia throughout June, which was the frontrunner among the tourism markets with the highest number of tourist arrivals into the first few months of the year.
India has climbed to the second spot once again, replacing China with 161,627 arrivals which makes up 10.9 percent of the arrivals.
China comes third contributing 10.9 percent with 161,488 arrivals.
Maldives is expected to record 1.9 million tourist arrivals by year-end.
The government launched its fifth tourism master plan which places high priority in achieving the target noted including increasing bed nights. The tourism master plan carries the purpose of developing the tourism sector and increasing services provided to tourists by the country.
The government also plans to expand tourism across the scatter of islands comprising the Maldives.
In his presidential address this year, President Solih stated that the Maldives will be welcoming 3.5 million tourists annually, by 2028.
Tourism was introduced in the Maldives in 1972. 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.
