Strengthening Russian Maldives demand becomes more year-round, Yandex Ads research shows

Yandex Ads, supported by the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) and Visit Maldives, brought together over 50 industry leaders from the Maldives’ hospitality sector in Malé, to present a brand new research into the behaviour of the Russian-speaking travellers and discuss possible opportunities to convert growing demand into bookings across a wider range of hotels and atolls.

The research shows that Russia has become the Maldives’ second-largest source market by volume. Russian arrivals reached 150,000 in the first half of 2026, up 18% year on year, while all the other markets, except China, declined. At the same time, confirmed hotel bookings to the Maldives through Yandex Travel increased by 233% over the same period, indicating that growth is increasingly being driven by conversion rather than by a rise in search interest.

The discussion focused on the implications for the hotels and travel businesses targeting the Russian-speaking market. Among the key findings presented to the industry were:

• 72% of Russian travellers are visiting the Maldives for the first time, making new customer acquisition particularly important.
• 64% choose an atoll before selecting a hotel, creating an opportunity for less-visited destinations to capture existing demand through stronger destination positioning.
• Summer and winter demand is approaching parity, really making Maldives a year-round destination, with 55% of travellers preferring winter and 45% summer; bookings in July 2026 were up 77% year on year.
• Interest in sustainability-focused hotels increased by 68%, making them the fastest-growing segment in the data.
• 22% of travellers use varios AI assistants when planning their trips, primarily for practical tasks such as calculating tip budget, shortlisting hotels and analysing reviews.

The research also shows that the Russian travellers do not stop researching once they have selected or purchased a package holiday. Search, Maps, travel platforms and other digital services continue to play a role throughout the decision-making process, creating opportunities for hotels to reach travellers directly alongside traditional tour-operator channels.

The meeting provided an opportunity for hospitality businesses to discuss the findings and consider how Russian-speaking demand could be developed beyond the destinations, seasons and booking channels that currently capture most of the market.

The full “Capturing Russian-speaking Traveller Demand” white paper will be made publicly available by Yandex Ads, with the support of MATI, providing a detailed analysis of Russian traveller behaviour and practical recommendations for hotels, resorts, destination management companies, tour operators and travel organisations.