Tourist arrivals for September declined by 3.4 percent compared to the same period last year
5 އޮކްޓޯބަރު 2026 | ހޯމަ 08:45More than 1.6 million tourists visited the Maldives by the end of September this year, with China maintaining its position as the top source market. Statistics indicate that the majority of visitors prefer staying in resorts, supported by an operational capacity of over 67,000 beds nationwide, while Kaafu Atoll remains the most popular destination for tourist arrivals.
Tourists seen queuing at the seaplane check-in area. | MACL
Tourist arrivals to the Maldives in September this year have declined by 3.4 percent compared to the same period in 2025, according to the latest statistics released by the Ministry of Tourism.
According to the "Maldives Tourism Updates" report released by the Ministry, the Maldives welcomed over 1.6 million tourists by the end of September this year. Specifically, a total of 1,603,021 arrivals were recorded as of September 30. Statistics indicate that this figure represents a 3.4 percent decrease compared to the same period last year.
China remains the Maldives' leading source market for tourism, accounting for 300,977 arrivals to date. This figure represents 19.1 percent of the total market share. Russia follows as the second-largest market with 229,236 visitors, while the United Kingdom ranks third with 119,968 arrivals. Other top-performing markets include Germany, Italy, India, Australia, the United States, France, and Spain.
Resorts remain the top choice for tourists visiting the Maldives. According to statistics, 73.7 percent of tourists stayed in resorts, while 22.0 percent opted for guesthouses. Additionally, 2.3 percent of visitors stayed in hotels, and 1.9 percent chose safari vessels. In terms of regional distribution, Kaafu Atoll emerged as the most popular destination. The report indicates that 713,938 tourists visited the atoll during this period.
As of the end of September, the Maldives' tourism accommodation capacity reached a total of 67,931 operational beds across 1,287 facilities. This includes 45,141 beds from 179 resorts and 16,810 beds from 927 guesthouses. Additionally, 16 hotels contributed 2,654 beds, while 165 safari vessels provided 3,326 beds. These figures represent 98.9 percent of the total registered bed capacity in the Maldives.
