Tourist arrivals surge 10.7 percent from last year
China has topped the leading source of tourists
Tourists at Velana International Airport (VIA)
The tourist arrival figure recorded so far in January 2025 has surged by 10.7 percent compared to the same period of 2024.
This was revealed by the Ministry of Tourism through its latest daily tourist arrival statistics published on Wednesday.
As such, the ministry’s latest figures show that 193,175 tourist arrivals were recorded between January 1 – 28.
This is an 10.7 percent surge in comparison to the 174,449 arrivals recorded in the same period last year and much higher than the 155,851 arrivals recorded in the same period of 2023.
About 6,899 tourists are arriving on average every day during January.
According to the ministry, 134,714 out of the 193,175 visitors that were recorded by Wednesday stayed at resorts. This makes up 69.7 percent. 49,203 tourists make up 25.5 percent of the tourists who stayed at guesthouses, 4,467 tourists make up 2.3 percent of the tourists who stayed at liveaboard vessels, 4,716 tourists make up 2.4 percent of the tourists who stayed at hotels and 65 who stayed at other facilities during this period.
Maldives welcomed 2,046,615 visitors in 2024. In 2023, 1,878,543 tourist arrivals were recorded.
Presently, 1,135 tourist accommodation establishments are operational across the Maldives, including 174 resorts, 15 hotels, 794 guesthouses and 152 liveaboard vessels. 61,380 beds are operational across these facilities including 42,819 in resorts, 1,996 in hotels, 13,531 in guesthouses and 3,034 in safari vessels. Maldives has a total capacity of 1,139 tourist facilities including 178 resorts, 15 hotels, 794 guesthouses and 152 liveaboard vessels. This means that four resorts remain inoperative. Guesthouses are operational across 110 islands of 20 atolls and hotels are operational across nine islands of eight atolls.
Although Russia topped the tourist source markets into the third week of January, it has been replaced by China into the last week of January.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The ministry’s figures revealed that as 2025 commenced Russia topped the tourist source markets, however, it has since been replaced by China, contributing 15.2 percent of the market share with 29,397 arrivals.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 10.5 percent of the market share with 20,291 arrivals recorded by Wednesday.
Although U.K came third for the first few weeks, it has been replaced by Italy, contributing 9.7 percent of the market share with 18,779 arrivals.
Although Kazakhstan topped the tourist source markets by mid-January, it has since been replaced by South Korea 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.
