Over 300,000 Tourists Opt for Local Guesthouses Amid Shifting Tourism Trends

More than 300,000 international visitors have chosen local guesthouses for their stay in the Maldives so far this year, signaling a sustained interest in community-based tourism. This figure is part of a broader arrival total of 1,379,151 tourists, according to the latest official statistics released by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation. Despite the growth in guesthouse popularity, overall tourist arrivals have seen a slight dip. The current volume represents a 3.9 percent decrease compared to the 1,435,661 visitors recorded during the same period last year. Resorts continue to be the dominant choice for travelers, hosting 992,462 guests. Following resorts, local guesthouses accommodated 300,469 visitors, while hotels and safari vessels hosted 31,723 and 25,207 arrivals respectively. China remains the Maldives' primary source market, leading with 250,437 arrivals. Russia follows as the second largest market with 198,748 visitors, while the United Kingdom ranks third with 105,785 tourists. The rise in guesthouse stays aligns with a strategic national campaign by the government to decentralize tourism and expand local business opportunities across the archipelago. This initiative has successfully integrated tourism into 116 local islands spanning 20 administrative atolls. This expansion has added 17,188 beds to the nation’s total tourism capacity, providing residents in outlying islands with direct economic benefits and diversifying the traditional resort-centric model.