More than 174,000 tourist arrivals have been recorded for February, by Saturday

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

As such, the ministry’s latest figures show that between February 1 – 22, 174,360 visitors were recorded, marking a 2.3 percent surge from the 170,520 arrivals recorded in the same period of 2024. It is a lot higher than the 141,087 arrivals recorded in 2023.

In total, 389,223 tourists have arrived in the Maldives so far this year. This is a 7.3 percent surge in comparison to the 362,905 arrivals recorded in 2024 and much higher than the 313,586 arrivals recorded in 2023.

268,276 out of the 389,223 visitors that were recorded by Sunday stayed at resorts. This makes up 68.9 percent. 100,703 tourists make up 25.9 percent of the tourists who stayed at guesthouses, 10,538 tourists make up 2.7 percent of the tourists who stayed at hotels, 9,439 tourists make up 2.4 percent of the tourists who stayed at liveaboard vessels and 268 who stayed at other facilities during this period.

According to the ministry, 214,863 tourist arrivals were recorded between January 1 – 31.

This was an 11.7 percent surge in comparison to the 192,385 arrivals recorded in the same period last year and much higher than the 172,499 arrivals recorded in the same period of 2023.

About 6,931 tourists arrived on average every day during January and 7,925 tourists are arriving on average every day during February.

Presently, 1,139 tourist accommodation establishments are operational across the Maldives, including 172 resorts, 15 hotels, 797 guesthouses and 155 liveaboard vessels. 61,044 beds are operational across these facilities including 42,462 in resorts, 2,032 in hotels, 13,410 in guesthouses and 3,140 in safari vessels. Maldives has a total capacity of 1,144 tourist facilities including 177 resorts, 15 hotels, 797 guesthouses and 155 liveaboard vessels. This means that five resorts remain inoperative. Guesthouses are operational across 116 islands of 20 atolls, resorts are operational across 172 islands of 19 atolls and hotels are operational across nine islands of eight atolls.

Further, the ministry revealed that China has remained the leader in tourist arrivals to the Maldives with no signs of slowing down, dominating the top source markets for the second consecutive month of the year.

As such, the ministry’s statistics revealed that although Russia topped the tourist source markets into the third week of January, it was replaced by China into the last week of January.

China has topped the leading source of tourists since then. The ministry’s figures revealed that as 2025 commenced Russia topped the tourist source markets, however, it has since been replaced by China, contributing 14.4 percent of the market share with 56,150 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, Russia now sits at second place on the list. Russia ranks second place contributing 9.9 percent of the market share with 38,505 arrivals recorded by Sunday.

UK comes third contributing 9.7 percent of the market share with 37,827 arrivals.

Although Austria topped the tourist source markets by the end of January, it has since been replaced by Switzerland on the list of top 10 markets.

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

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.