A total of 17,441 tourists were welcomed in the first three days of the new year.
This was revealed by the Ministry of Tourism in its latest daily statistics, publicized on Thursday.
Since the new year began, a total of 17,441 tourist arrivals have been recorded.
The arrival figure for 2024 is an increase of 0.5 percent from the 17,346 arrivals recorded in the same period last year, and a significant growth from the 15,618 arrivals recorded in 2022.
The daily average for 2024 so far, is 5,814 and tourists are staying for an average of eight days.
Looking at the daily arrivals for January:
- 5,209 tourists were welcomed on January 1
- 6,640 tourists were welcomed on January 2
- 5,592 tourists were welcomed on January 3
The new year began with Italy topping the tourist arrival markets of the island nation.
As such, although Russia continued to dominate the tourist arrival markets of the Maldives by the end of 2023, it toppled to second spot and was replaced by Italy by January 4.
Presently, Italy contributes 18.5 percent of the market share with 3,220 arrivals recorded so far.
Second comes Russia with 2,885 arrivals which makes up 16.5 percent of the market share.
Neighboring India trails close at third with 1,319 arrivals making up 7.6 percent of the market share.
Other top tourist markets so far in 2023 are:
- United Kingdom contributing 6.3 percent with 1,102 arrivals
- Germany contributing 5.3 percent with 928 arrivals
- United States contributing 4.5 percent with 780 arrivals
- Kazakhstan contributing 3.2 percent with 560 arrivals
- France contributing 2.2 percent with 375 arrivals
- Japan contributing 2.1 percent with 366 arrivals
- China contributing two percent with 357 arrivals
Statistics go on to reveal that a total of 1,147 tourist facilities are currently open for services to tourists across the archipelago nation, including 176 resorts, 15 hotels, 810 guesthouses and 146 liveaboard vessels.
61,750 beds are operational across these facilities including 43,279 in resorts, 13,681 in guesthouses, 2,016 in hotels and 2,774 in liveaboard vessels.
The first tourist visitor of the new year was welcomed during a special ceremony held at Velana International Airport (VIA) in the early hours of January 1. A Benjamin Duncan Moore, the first tourist of 2024 hails from the United Kingdom and arrived in the island nation on an Emirates flight.
Welcoming the first tourist of 2024 to the Maldives, Minister of Tourism Ibrahim Faisal noted that this is a fantastic start to what promises to be another successful year for the Maldives’ tourism industry.
He expressed keen interest in diversifying and exploring additional markets to reach this year’s arrival target.
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.
