Nearly 30,000 arrivals recorded in first few days of March

Nearly 30,000 tourist arrivals have been recorded in the first few days of March.

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 between March 1 – 4, 28,986 visitors were recorded, marking a 6.1 percent surge from the 27,318 arrivals recorded in the same period of 2024. It is a lot higher than the 24,874 arrivals recorded in 2023.

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.

In February, Maldives welcomed 214,091 tourists. This figure is a 1.5 percent decline from the 217,392 arrivals recorded in the same period of 2024. However, it is higher than the 177,915 arrivals recorded in 2023.

About 6,931 tourists arrived on average every day during January and 7,646 in February.

7,241 tourists are arriving on average every day during March.

In total, 457,940 tourists have arrived in the Maldives so far this year. This is a 4.8 percent surge in comparison to the 437,095 arrivals recorded in 2024 and much higher than the 375,288 arrivals recorded in 2023.

316,598 out of the 457,940 visitors that were recorded by Wednesday stayed at resorts. This makes up 69.1 percent. 117,174 tourists make up 25.6 percent of the tourists who stayed at guesthouses, 12,812 tourists make up 2.8 percent of the tourists who stayed at hotels, 11,073 tourists make up 2.4 percent of the tourists who stayed at liveaboard vessels and 283 who stayed at other facilities during this period.

Looking at the daily arrivals for March 2025:

• 8,447 tourists were welcomed on March 1
• 8,128 tourists were welcomed on March 2
• 6,025 tourists were welcomed on March 3
• 6,386 tourists were welcomed on March 4

Presently, 1,140 tourist accommodation establishments are operational across the Maldives, including 175 resorts, 15 hotels, 795 guesthouses and 155 liveaboard vessels. 61,889 beds are operational across these facilities including 43,329 in resorts, 2,032 in hotels, 13,388 in guesthouses and 3,140 in safari vessels. Maldives has a total capacity of 1,144 tourist facilities including 179 resorts, 15 hotels, 795 guesthouses and 155 liveaboard vessels. This means that four resorts remain inoperative. Guesthouses are operational across 116 islands of 20 atolls, resorts are operational across 175 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 13.2 percent of the market share with 60,303 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 10 percent of the market share with 45,686 arrivals recorded by Wednesday.

UK comes third contributing 9.9 percent of the market share with 45,469 arrivals.

Other top tourist markets in 2025 include:

• Italy contributing 9.4 percent with 43,163 arrivals
• Germany contributing 6.4 percent with 29,128 arrivals
• India contributing 4.7 percent with 21,596 arrivals
• France contributing 4.2 percent with 19,062 arrivals
• United States contributing three percent with 13,877 arrivals
• Poland contributing 2.3 percent with 10,512 arrivals
• Switzerland contributing 2.2 percent with 10,004 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.