China continues to top tourist source markets

China has extended its reign as the top contributor to tourist arrivals in the Maldives, reaffirming its dominant position in the island nation's key economic sector. China has remained the leader in tourist arrivals to the Maldives with no signs of slowing down, dominating the top source markets as the eighth month of the year nears ending.

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

The tourism 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. China contributes 15.7 percent of the market share with 228,172 arrivals.

China sat at the top of the list of tourist source markets by the end of 2024 as well.

Russia sits at second place on the list contributing 11.9 percent of the market share with 172,956 arrivals recorded by Tuesday.

The United Kingdom comes third contributing 9.1 percent of the market share with 132,230 arrivals.

Other top tourist markets in 2025 include:

• Italy contributing 7.2 percent with 104,477 arrivals
• Germany contributing 6.9 percent with 99,697 arrivals
• India contributing 5.7 percent with 82,907 arrivals
• United States contributing 2.9 percent with 42,757 arrivals
• France contributing 2.8 percent with 40,561 arrivals
• Spain contributing 2.2 percent with 32,450 arrivals
• Australia contributing 1.8 percent with 26,517 arrivals

Although Switzerland was included in the list of top ten tourist source markets earlier, it was replaced by the final week of August.

Further, the ministry’s statistics indicate that Maldives continues to cement its reputation as a premier luxury travel destination, with statistics revealing that 73.4 percent of visitors opt for stays at the nation’s upscale resorts. This trend underscores the enduring appeal of the island nation’s exclusive accommodations and pristine surroundings among global travelers.

So far, 1,067,058 visitors have opted for the luxury of resorts. 317,384 tourists make up 21.8 percent of the tourists who stayed at guesthouses, 38,221 tourists make up 2.6 percent of the tourists who stayed at hotels, 29,627 tourists make up two percent of the tourists who stayed at liveaboard vessels and 1,012 who stayed at other facilities during this period.

Between August 1 – 24, 158,434 tourists were welcomed at Velana International Airport (VIA). This is a 7.6 percent increase from the 147,269 arrivals recorded in the same period of 2024 and much higher than the 128,743 arrivals recorded the previous year.

Looking at the daily arrivals for August 2025:

• 6,713 tourists were welcomed on August 1
• 7,036 tourists were welcomed on August 2
• 6,878 tourists were welcomed on August 3
• 6,535 tourists were welcomed on August 4
• 6,422 tourists were welcomed on August 5
• 6,587 tourists were welcomed on August 6
• 6,196 tourists were welcomed on August 7
• 5,908 tourists were welcomed on August 8
• 7,003 tourists were welcomed on August 9
• 7,140 tourists were welcomed on August 10
• 6,894 tourists were welcomed on August 11
• 6,519 tourists were welcomed on August 12
• 7,109 tourists were welcomed on August 13
• 7,046 tourists were welcomed on August 14
• 6,684 tourists were welcomed on August 15
• 7,177 tourists were welcomed on August 16
• 6,662 tourists were welcomed on August 17
• 6,764 tourists were welcomed on August 18
• 6,403 tourists were welcomed on August 19
• 6,387 tourists were welcomed on August 20
• 6,310 tourists were welcomed on August 21
• 5,986 tourists were welcomed on August 22
• 6,366 tourists were welcomed on August 23
• 5,709 tourists were welcomed on August 24

Between January 1 and August 24, 1,453,302 tourists arrived in the Maldives. This is a 9.2 percent surge in comparison to the 1,330,326 arrivals recorded in 2024 and much higher than the 1,203,970 arrivals recorded in 2023.

On a monthly basis:

• 214,863 tourist arrivals were recorded between January 1 – 31.
• 214,091 tourist arrivals were recorded between February 1 – 28.
• 203,464 tourist arrivals were recorded between March 1 – 31.
• 198,322 tourist arrivals were recorded between April 1 – 30.
• 135,614 tourist arrivals were recorded between May 1 – 31.
• 141,772 tourist arrivals were recorded between June 1 – 30.
• 186,738 tourist arrivals were recorded between July 1 – 31.

The ministry went on to reveal that about 6,931 tourists arrived on average every day during January, 7,646 in February, 6,563 in March, 6,611 during April, 4,375 during May, 4,726 during June and 6,024 during July. In August, 6,601 tourists are arriving on average on a daily basis.

Maldives welcomed the one millionth tourist of the year on June 7. Kajal Singh arrived in the Maldives to spend her honeymoon at Malahini Kuda Bandos, and this was her first visit to the Maldives. Visit Maldives announced that this marked the fastest time in the nation's history that tourist arrivals reached the one-million mark within a calendar year. To commemorate the milestone, Minister of Tourism and Environment Thoriq Ibrahim attended a special ceremony at VIA to personally welcome the milestone visitor.

During the ceremony, which emphasized the Maldives' commitment to sustainable tourism, the one millionth tourist of 2025 was invited to plant a tree. Embracing the gesture, the visitor took part in a symbolic tree-planting at Hulhulé, underscoring the nation's ongoing environmental initiatives.

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 island nation 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.