Tourist arrivals surpass 100,000 for the third consecutive month this year

The tourist arrival figure recorded for the third consecutive month of 2025, has exceeded 100,000.

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

As such, the ministry’s statistics show that between March 1 – 17, 109,064 visitors were recorded, marking a 5.3 percent surge from the 103,601 arrivals recorded in the same period of 2024. It is a lot higher than the 100,193 arrivals recorded in 2023.

Further, between January 1 and March 17, 538,018 tourists arrived in the Maldives. This is a 4.8 percent surge in comparison to the 513,378 arrivals recorded in 2024 and much higher than the 450,607 arrivals recorded in 2023.

371,200 out of the 538,018 visitors that were recorded by Wednesday stayed at resorts. This makes up 69 percent. 137,742 tourists make up 25.6 percent of the tourists who stayed at guesthouses, 15,447 tourists make up 2.9 percent of the tourists who stayed at hotels, 13,319 tourists make up 2.5 percent of the tourists who stayed at liveaboard vessels and 283 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.

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.

6,416 tourists are arriving on average every day during March.

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
• 5,466 tourists were welcomed on March 5
• 5,552 tourists were welcomed on March 6
• 5,591 tourists were welcomed on March 7
• 7,417 tourists were welcomed on March 8
• 6,912 tourists were welcomed on March 9
• 5,621 tourists were welcomed on March 10
• 5,734 tourists were welcomed on March 11
• 5,820 tourists were welcomed on March 12
• 5,251 tourists were welcomed on March 13
• 5,923 tourists were welcomed on March 14
• 7,482 tourists were welcomed on March 15
• 7,172 tourists were welcomed on March 16
• 6,137 tourists were welcomed on March 17

Presently, 1,181 tourist accommodation establishments are operational across the Maldives, including 175 resorts, 15 hotels, 834 guesthouses and 157 liveaboard vessels. 62,525 beds are operational across these facilities including 43,217 in resorts, 2,038 in hotels, 14,126 in guesthouses and 3,144 in safari vessels. Maldives has a total capacity of 1,185 tourist facilities including 179 resorts, 15 hotels, 834 guesthouses and 157 liveaboard vessels. This means that four resorts remain inoperative. Guesthouses are operational across 111 islands of 20 atolls, resorts are operational across 175 islands of 19 atolls and hotels are operational across nine islands of eight atolls.

The statistics go on to reveal 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 third 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 12.3 percent of the market share with 66,334 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.

Russia sits at second place on the list contributing 10.2 percent of the market share with 54,954 arrivals recorded by Tuesday.

The United Kingdom comes third contributing 10.2 percent of the market share with 54,830 arrivals.

Other top tourist markets in 2025 include:

• Italy contributing 9.5 percent with 51,015 arrivals
• Germany contributing 6.9 percent with 37,002 arrivals
• India contributing 4.9 percent with 26,280 arrivals
• France contributing 4.2 percent with 22,372 arrivals
• United States contributing 3.1 percent with 16,748 arrivals
• Poland contributing 2.2 percent with 12,081 arrivals
• Switzerland contributing 2.2 percent with 11,740 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.