The Maldives is in course to reach the government’s target of 1.6 million tourist arrivals for 2022.
With arrivals in November surpassing the corresponding pre-pandemic period in 2019, the Maldives is likely to meet the arrivals target by the third week of December, Tourism Minister Dr Abdulla Mausoom predicted.
The Maldives welcomed 1.4 million tourists by 23 November, up 30% from the previous year, and only 2.8% below pre-pandemic levels.
The average duration of stay is down from 8.7 days in 2021 to 7.9 days this year. India remains the top market with 203,812 tourists as of 23 November, representing a 14% market share, followed by Russia (178,934 tourists), the UK (158,855 tourists), Germany (119,865 tourists) and Italy (80,294 tourists). There are 166 resorts, 157 safari vessels and 874 hotels and guesthouses in operation across the country with a combined bed capacity of 59,351.
A new record for monthly tourist arrivals was set with over 153,600 visitors in October, an 8% increase from the same month last year. A monthly arrivals record was also set in May with more than 104,000 holidaymakers. A nearly 100% increase was recorded in June and arrivals surpassed pre-pandemic levels again in July.
The Maldives tourism industry continued its robust recovery despite setbacks posed by the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – which caused arrivals to plummet from the top market – and the complete absence of Chinese holidaymakers, who accounted for the largest source market before the pandemic.
