The Maldives has hit a significant milestone in tourism, welcoming over 500,000 visitors in 2024.
Recent data from the Maldives Ministry of Tourism revealed that as of March 17, the nation had greeted a total of 513,377 tourists, marking a 13.9 percent increase compared to the same period last year, VisaGuide/World reports.
China takes the lead as the primary source market for the Maldives, with 60,699 visitors making up 11.8 percent of the total arrivals. Russia closely follows, bringing in 52,385 tourists, comprising 10.2 percent of the market.
At the same time, Italy holds its ground with 49,480 arrivals, constituting 9.6 percent of the total, while the United Kingdom closely trails with 46,849 visitors, representing 9.1 percent of the arrivals.
Germany, India, France, USA, Poland & Switzerland Boost Maldives’ Visitor Numbers
As the data from the Ministry shows, Germany, with 35,761 visitors; India, with 31,028 visitors; France, with 20,906 visitors; the United States, with 16,960 visitors; Poland, with 12,570 visitors; and Switzerland, with 11,787 visitors, also contribute significantly to the Maldives’ tourism.
Currently, tourists are staying in the Maldives for an average of 7.8 days, marking a notable increase in visitor numbers compared to previous years.
India, previously the leading source of tourist arrivals for the past three years, has shifted to the sixth position with 31,437 arrivals. This change coincides with the Maldives government’s ambitious goal of drawing two million visitors this year.
As of March 17, 2024, tourist facilities are fully operational across the archipelago, including:
- Guesthouses in 20 atolls spread over 113 islands, providing a total of 14,097 beds
- Hotels in 8 atolls situated on nine islands, offering a combined capacity of 2,016 beds
Maldives Tourism Trends Show Continued Growth in 2024
In January 2022, the Maldives saw 131,765 tourist arrivals. This figure increased to 172,499 in January 2023 and surged even higher to 192,385 in January of this year.
Similarly, February numbers showed growth over the years. In February 2022, the country welcomed 149,011 tourists. Further data from the Ministry revealed that this increased to 177,915 in February 2023 and rose to 217,392 in February 2024.
Furthermore, the total arrivals in 2023 amounted to 1,878,543 tourists, representing an increase from the 1,675,303 tourists recorded in 2022.
As of March 17, 2024, the distribution of tourist facilities in the Maldives was as follows:
- Resorts: 180 establishments providing 44,152 beds
- Hotels: 15 establishments offering 2,016 beds
- Guesthouses: 837 facilities providing 14,097 beds
- Safari Vessels: 147 vessels with a total of 2,835 beds