Maldives Records 1.5 Million Tourist Arrivals With Chinese Visitors Leading Growth

The Maldives has welcomed over 1.5 million tourists this year, marking a period of sustained year-on-year growth for the nation's vital tourism sector. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, overall arrivals have increased by 3.4 per cent compared to the same period last year. China has emerged as the primary source market, contributing the highest volume of visitors with 278,605 arrivals. Russia followed as the second-largest market with 217,889 tourists, while the United Kingdom ranked third with 114,735. Italy and Germany rounded out the top five, recording 95,164 and 92,284 visitors respectively. The travel peak occurred in February, which saw the highest monthly traffic with 254,556 arrivals. However, the ministry noted a slight short-term dip in September, with 60,000 visitors entering during the first 14 days of the month—a 1.3 per cent decrease compared to the same window last year. In terms of accommodation, luxury resorts remain the dominant choice for travelers, hosting 1,091,228 guests. Guesthouses followed with 328,203 guests, while hotels and liveaboard safari vessels accommodated 34,346 and 27,913 visitors respectively. Air travel continues to be the primary gateway for international visitors, with 1,497,595 passengers arriving by air. Velana International Airport handled the vast majority of this traffic, processing 1,480,394 travelers, or 97.8 per cent of all air arrivals. Regional airports also contributed to the influx, led by Gan International with 5,252 arrivals, followed by Maafaru International (4,791), Hanimaadhoo International (3,171), Maamigili International (2,783), and Dhaalu Airport (1,203). Additionally, maritime seaports recorded 15,583 tourist arrivals, highlighting the diverse entry points used by visitors to access the archipelago.