As the new year kicks off, a surge in arrivals has marked a promising start for the Maldives’ tourism industry, with January seeing an 8.6 percent surge over the same period last year, mirroring steady growth ahead.
This was revealed by the Ministry of Tourism through its latest weekly tourist arrival statistics published on Friday.
As such, the ministry’s latest figures show that 146,164 tourist arrivals were recorded between January 1 – 23.
This is an 8.6 percent surge in comparison to the 134,599 arrivals recorded in the same period last year and much higher than the 122,197 arrivals recorded in the same period of 2023.
About 6,644 tourists are arriving on average every day during January.
Looking at the daily arrivals for January 2025:
- 5,715 tourists were welcomed on January 1
- 6,491 tourists were welcomed on January 2
- 6,421 tourists were welcomed on January 3
- 6,449 tourists were welcomed on January 4
- 7,273 tourists were welcomed on January 5
- 5,579 tourists were welcomed on January 6
- 5,975 tourists were welcomed on January 7
- 5,627 tourists were welcomed on January 8
- 5,259 tourists were welcomed on January 9
- 6,674 tourists were welcomed on January 10
- 8,090 tourists were welcomed on January 11
- 8,174 tourists were welcomed on January 12
- 6,347 tourists were welcomed on January 13
- 6,585 tourists were welcomed on January 14
- 6,385 tourists were welcomed on January 15
- 5,908 tourists were welcomed on January 16
- 6,549 tourists were welcomed on January 17
- 8,031 tourists were welcomed on January 18
- 7,807 tourists were welcomed on January 19
- 6,896 tourists were welcomed on January 20
- 7,447 tourists were welcomed on January 21
- 6,482 tourists were welcomed on January 22
According to the ministry, 96,861 out of the 139,682 visitors that were recorded by Monday stayed at resorts. This makes up 69.3 percent. 35,971 tourists make up 25.8 percent of the tourists who stayed at guesthouses, 3,312 tourists make up 2.4 percent of the tourists who stayed at liveaboard vessels and 3,491 tourists make up 2.5 percent of the tourists who stayed at hotels during this period.
Maldives welcomed 2,046,615 visitors in 2024. In 2023, 1,878,543 tourist arrivals were recorded.
Presently, 1,156 tourist accommodation establishments are operational across the Maldives, including 173 resorts, 15 hotels, 816 guesthouses and 152 liveaboard vessels. 61,822 beds are operational across these facilities including 42,819 in resorts, 2,038 in hotels, 13,931 in guesthouses and 3,034 in safari vessels. Maldives has a total capacity of 1,162 tourist facilities including 179 resorts, 15 hotels, 816 guesthouses and 152 liveaboard vessels. This means that six resorts remain inoperative. Guesthouses are operational across 110 islands of 20 atolls and hotels are operational across nine islands of eight atolls.
Tourist arrivals for 2024 included:
- 192,385 visitors welcomed during January
- 217,392 visitors welcomed during February
- 194,227 visitors welcomed during March
- 168,366 visitors welcomed during April
- 119,875 visitors welcomed during May
- 123,284 visitors welcomed during June
- 167,528 visitors welcomed during July
- 176,175 visitors welcomed during August
- 132,795 visitors welcomed during September
- 172,621 visitors welcomed during October
- 172,987 visitors welcomed during November
- 208,980 visitors welcomed during December
Although Russia topped the tourist source markets into the third week of January, it has been replaced by China into the last week of January.
As January comes closer to ending, China has topped the leading source of tourists. The ministry’s figures revealed that as 2025 commenced Russia topped the tourist source markets, however, it has since been replaced by China, contributing 12 percent of the market share with 17,510 arrivals.
China sat at the top of the list of tourist source markets by the end of 2024 as well. 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.
Although Italy ranked second place for a few weeks since the new year began, it was replaced by China for a while and now, Russia sits at second place on the list. Russia ranks second place contributing 11.7 percent of the market share with 17,086 arrivals recorded by January 23.
Although U.K came third for the first few weeks, it has been replaced by Italy, contributing 10.8 percent of the market share with 15,030 arrivals.
Other top tourist markets in 2025 include:
- U.K contributing nine percent with 13,091 arrivals
- Germany contributing 2.9 percent with 8,931 arrivals
- India contributing 2.9 percent with 6,902 arrivals
- France contributing 3.3 percent with 4,783 arrivals
- United States contributing 1.6 percent with 4,752 arrivals
- Poland contributing 1.8 percent with 3,091 arrivals
- Kazakhstan contributing 1.8 percent with 2,673 arrivals
Although Romania and Australia topped the tourist source markets by mid-January, they have since been replaced on the list of top 10 markets.
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.
