Maldives achieves 1.8 million annual tourist arrivals target

On Wednesday, Maldives accomplished its goal for the year of welcoming 1.8 million tourists.

The Emirates flight from Dubai carrying Stefan Mathijs, a Dutch national, among others touched down at Velana International Airport at 2:55 pm, where a ceremonial event commemorated the occasion.

Mathijs is set to spend four days in Maldives before going to neighbouring Sri Lanka and returning to Maldives for another five days.

Figures disclosed by the tourism ministry a day prior showcased the leading contributors to Maldives’ tourism industry:

• Russia: 200,200
• India: 199,187
• China: 183,457
• United Kingdom: 148,113
• Germany: 129,436

The daily average influx of tourists throughout the year tallied at 5,360 individuals.

Initially projected in the 2023 state budget to reach 1.8 million, the previous government later revised the forecast to 1.9 million arrivals. Looking ahead, the target for the coming year is to attract two million tourists.

Forecasts for the upcoming year suggest a potential decline in European tourist visits, while the Chinese market is expected to observe growth.