China contributes 15.7 percent of the market share with 31,388 arrivals
Tourists in the Maldives
More than 200,000 tourists have been welcomed so far in January.
This was revealed by the Ministry of Tourism through its latest weekly tourist arrival statistics published on Thursday.
As such, the ministry’s latest figures show that 200,241 tourist arrivals were recorded between January 1 – 29.
This is an 11.1 percent surge in comparison to the 180,288 arrivals recorded in the same period last year and much higher than the 162,134 arrivals recorded in the same period of 2023.
About 6,905 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. 50,864 tourists make up 25.5 percent of the tourists who stayed at guesthouses, 4,907 tourists make up 2.5 percent of the tourists who stayed at hotels, 4,613 tourists make up 2.4 percent of the tourists who stayed at liveaboard vessels 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.
Although Russia topped the tourist source markets into the third week of January, it was 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The ministry’s figures revealed that as 2025 commenced Russia topped the tourist source markets, however, it has since been replaced by China, contributing 15.7 percent of the market share with 31,388 arrivals.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 10.4 percent of the market share with 20,902 arrivals recorded by Wednesday.
Although U.K came third for the first few weeks, it has been replaced by Italy, contributing 9.5 percent of the market share with 19,042 arrivals.
Although Kazakhstan topped the tourist source markets by mid-January, it has since been replaced by South Korea on the list of top 10 markets.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.
