Sunday saw a new record for most tourist arrivals recorded in a single day since 2021 began, with 5,268 visitors.
Daily statistics publicized by the Ministry of Tourism reveal that Sunday’s arrivals were the highest to have been recorded since the new year began, the second highest single-day arrivals having been recorded on February 14, at 4,856 arrivals.
The lowest tourist arrivals thus far this month were recorded on February 1, with 2,158 visitors having arrived in the island nation.
Latest statistics go on to reveal that a total of 164,394 visitors had arrived in the Maldives by Sunday, since the beginning of 2021. This is 42 percent less than the number of tourists recorded for the same period last year. The Ministry also shared that an average of 3,161 tourists were visiting the Maldives every day based on their statistics.
Statistics identify India as the top-source market for tourist arrivals to the country. 37,131 Indian tourists visited the Maldives as at February 21, making up a 22.6 percent of total arrivals.
Aside from India, Russia is the next biggest market for tourism in the Maldives, with 35,645 Russian tourists having traveled to Maldives year, this makes up 21.7 percent of the arrival rate. Third comes Ukraine with 11,279 arrivals contributing 6.9 percent of the total arrivals.
Kazakhstan, Romania, Germany, France, Switzerland, Czech Republic and the United Kingdom are also considered some of the biggest tourist markets for the Maldives.
Arrivals from these countries have been recorded at:
- Kazakhstan contributing 4.4 percent with 7,299 arrivals,
- Romania contributing four percent with 6,516 arrivals,
- Germany contributing 3.8 percent with 6,320 arrivals,
- France contributing three percent with 5,010 arrivals,
- Switzerland contributing 2.8 percent with 4,566 arrivals.
- Czech Republic contributing 2.6 percent with 4,324 arrivals,
- United Kingdom contributing 2.5 percent with 4,117 arrivals,
Included among the 648 tourist establishments currently in operation with 44,693 beds are 353 guesthouses which are currently being operated with 6,494 beds. Further, 147 resorts are currently in operation with 34,076 beds. There are 2,665 operational beds across 137 liveaboard vessels as well as 1,458 beds in 11 operational hotels.
Statistics go on to reveal that operational guesthouses are across 52 islands of 17 atolls and 147 resorts across 18 outlying atolls.
Guesthouses currently in operation are:
- 43 guesthouses in operation with 674 beds in Alif Dhaalu atoll,
- 28 guesthouses in operation with 368 beds in Vaavu atoll,
- One guesthouse in operation with 12 beds in Meemu atoll,
- One guesthouse in operation with 12 beds in Faafu atoll,
- One guesthouse in operation with 12 beds in Thaa atoll,
- Two guesthouses in operation with 78 beds in Laamu atoll,
- Two guesthouses in operation with 38 beds in Gaaf Dhaalu atoll,
- 10 guesthouses in operation with 108 beds in Gnaviyani atoll,
- Seven guesthouses in operation with 144 beds in Seenu atoll,
The country saw a record-breaking 1.7 million tourist arrivals during 2019 and an optimistic government set a vision to break the record with two million arrivals, which was foiled by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, due to which authorities halted issuing on-arrival visas on March 27, last year.
Nearly four months later, Maldives tourism began reviving, albeit snail-paced at first, from July 15, arrivals began increasing steadily over the past couple of months. Maldives was able to exceed its new target of 545,000, by the end of December 2020 and aims to welcome 1.5 million tourist arrivals this ongoing year.
