Maldives Records Highest Tourist Arrivals of the Year with 9,903 Visitors on Sunday

The Maldives recorded the highest number of tourist arrivals for the year on Sunday, with 9,903 visitors arriving in the island nation. This marks a significant milestone for the tourism sector, which is the backbone of the Maldivian economy. According to the Tourism Ministry, the second-highest number of arrivals this year was recorded on the previous Sunday, with 9,613 visitors, followed by 9,584 arrivals on Saturday. December has been a robust month for tourism, with a total of 201,637 arrivals so far, bringing the annual total to 2,223,698. January remains the peak month for tourism, with 214,863 arrivals. China continues to be the top source market, contributing 14.8% of total arrivals, followed by Russia and the UK. The majority of tourists, totaling 1,632,340, opted to stay in resorts, accounting for 73.4% of all arrivals. Velana International Airport also experienced one of its busiest days, handling 27,000 passengers, attributed to the peak tourism season coinciding with school holidays.