Statistics from the Ministry of Tourism have revealed that the number of tourists who visited the Maldives in the first week of December decreased by 0.1 percent compared to the same period in 2023.

While statistics indicate a decline in tourist arrivals during December, a key month in the peak season for Maldives’ tourism, a tour operator who spoke to RaajjeMV on condition of anonymity informed that the decrease in tourist arrivals is due to an increase in cancellations.

The tour operator revealed that on certain days, the total number of cancellations exceeded 500. When inquired about the high number of cancellations, the tour operator stated that one possible reason could be the ban on bringing vapes for tourists as well, and it is believed to be due to increased taxes.

While the tourist arrivals in the first week of December have dropped, the government has stated that it aspires to welcome two million tourists by the end of the year. According to statistics, as of December 7, 1,877,567 tourists have visited the Maldives, and to reach the target of two million tourists, an additional 122,433 tourists need to visit the Maldives in the remaining weeks of December.

With an average of 5,705 tourists arriving in the Maldives daily, to achieve this goal, an average of 8,161 tourists per day need to visit during the remaining days of the month.

On the other hand, statistics from the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) have revealed that the revenue from the tourism industry in the first 10 months of the year has decreased by USD 500 million. According to the central bank, the tourism industry generated USD 2.9 billion in the first 10 months of the concluding year. During the same period last year, the government received USD 3.4 billion.