Nearly 85,000 tourist arrivals by mid-January

Maldives’ tourism is off to a strong start as nearly 100,000 tourists have already arrived hallway through January, indicating a promising year ahead for the industry.

This was revealed by the Ministry of Tourism through its latest daily tourist arrival statistics published on Tuesday.

As such, the ministry’s latest figures show that 84,074 tourist arrivals were recorded between January 1 – 13.

This is a 9.2 percent surge in comparison to the 76,982 arrivals recorded in the same period last year and much higher than the 69,535 arrivals recorded in the same period of 2023.

About 6,467 tourists are arriving on average every day during January.

According to the ministry, 58,635 out of the 84,074 visitors recorded so far in January stayed at resorts. This makes up 69.7 percent. 21,134 tourists make up 25.1 percent of the tourists who stayed at guesthouses, 2,122 tourists make up 2.5 percent of the tourists who stayed at liveaboard vessels and 2,183 tourists make up 2.6 percent of the tourists who stayed at hotels during this period.

Presently, 1,283 tourist accommodation establishments are operational across the Maldives, including 172 resorts, 15 hotels, 941 guesthouses and 155 liveaboard vessels. 63,452 beds are operational across these facilities including 42,547 in resorts, 2,028 in hotels, 15,825 in guesthouses and 3,052 in safari vessels. Maldives has a total capacity of 1,285 tourist facilities including 183 resorts, 15 hotels, 941 guesthouses and 155 liveaboard vessels. This means that 11 resorts remain inoperative. Guesthouses are operational across 117 islands of 20 atolls and hotels are operational across nine islands of eight atolls.

Maldives welcomed 2,046,615 visitors in 2024. In 2023, 1,878,543 tourist arrivals were recorded.

As 2025 commenced Russia topped the tourist source markets, contributing 14.8 percent of the market share with 12,465 arrivals.

China sat at the top of the list of tourist source markets by the end of 2024. 2024 began with Italy topping the tourist arrival markets of the island nation; however, it was replaced by Russia for a few weeks and then by China for the remainder of the year.

Italy now ranks second place contributing 11.8 percent of the market share with 9,955 arrivals.

U.K comes in third place contributing 8.2 percent of the market share with 6,914 arrivals.

Maldives welcomed the first tourist of the year in the early hours of 1 January 2025. Luis and his family have visited the Maldives 11 times now.

A true jewel of the Indian Ocean, Maldives has been dazzling among passionate travelers since tourism was introduced in the Maldives in 1972. It is going to be 53 years since the island paradise has been enchanting travelers from around the globe with its unrivaled hospitality and picturesque beauty.