Maldives Welcomes Surge in Chinese Tourists, Topping Arrivals
China has become the top source of tourists for the Maldives, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Tourism. This marks a significant shift, as India held the top spot at the end of last year, while China ranked third. From January to February 4th, 2024, an impressive 23,900 tourists arrived from China, representing […]
Maldives records over 50,000 tourists in first 9 days of 2024
The Ministry of Tourism has reported that a total of 50,983 tourists visited the Maldives in the initial nine days of 2024. This marks a 6.4% increase compared to the same period in 2023, where 47,931 tourists arrived. In contrast, the figures for the same timeframe in 2022 stood at 43,079 visitors. According to the […]
Saudi Arabia among Maldives’ top 10 tourist markets for first time
In a notable development, Saudi Arabia has secured a position among the top ten countries with the highest tourist arrivals to the Maldives for the first time, according to statistics from the Tourism Ministry. The data reveals that 1,182 tourists have already visited the Maldives from Saudi Arabia this year. Contrasting with last year’s rankings, […]
Maldives’ main airport sets new air traffic movement record
Velana International Airport (VIA) achieved a new milestone in air traffic movement, with a record-breaking 925 movements recorded on Saturday, as reported by the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL). This surpasses the previous highest daily air traffic movement of 861, marking a seven percent increase. On this noteworthy day, VIA saw a total of 104 […]
Maldives president urges more efforts to regain China’s top spot in tourism
President Mohamed Muizzu urged intensified efforts to restore China’s status as the primary tourism source for the Maldives, addressing tourism stakeholders from both nations during the Invest Maldives Forum at Fuzhou’s Strait International Convention and Exhibition Centre in China. Highlighting the pre-pandemic prominence of China as the Maldives’ leading tourism market, President Muizzu emphasised the […]
Maldives’ 2023 tourist arrivals exceed 1.8m target by 78,537
Tourist arrivals in the Maldives for 2023 crossed the government’s projected estimate of 1.8 million by 78,537. The government had initially anticipated 1.8 million tourist arrivals for the year, a goal that was achieved on schedule. According to the Tourism Ministry’s statistics, 2023 witnessed the highest influx of tourists in the nation’s history, totalling 1,878,537 […]
Maldives welcomes UK’s Benjamin Moore as first tourist of 2024
The first visitor to grace Maldives in the new year, a British national, was greeted with a warm welcome on Monday. Traditionally, the inaugural tourist passing through immigration on New Year’s Day is hailed as the first arrival of the year in Maldives, receiving a warm reception. This year’s first traveller happened to be Benjamin […]
Maldives aims for 2 million tourists in 2024
The Tourism Minister of Maldives, Ahmed Faisal, has announced that the island nation is expecting to attract two million tourists by 2024, despite the global uncertainties caused by the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas conflict. Faisal made the statement on Saturday evening, on the ‘Raajje Miadhu’ programme of the state-owned Public Service Media (PSM). He […]
Maldives sees record private jet arrivals ahead of New Year holidays
Velana International Airport (VIA) is witnessing an influx of private jets primarily used by affluent tourists as the holiday season approaches. Annually, a substantial number of tourists, including those arriving on private jets, flock to the Maldives during the New Year and winter holidays. VIA, the primary airport in the Maldives, is gearing up for […]
Maldives tourism leaders to probe revenue drop despite increased arrivals
Tourism Minister Ibrahim Faisal and the new Managing Director of MMPRC, Fathimath Thaufeeg, highlighted plans to investigate why the surge in tourist arrivals in Maldives hasn’t translated into increased revenue. The government’s target of hosting 1.8 million tourists for the year was hit with the arrival of the 1.8 millionth tourist on Wednesday. Following a […]
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 […]
Maldives anticipates robust tourism growth in 2024: MATATO reveals forecast
Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) has unveiled its tourist arrival forecast for the year 2024, revealing a promising outlook for the tourism industry. According to MATATO’s comprehensive analysis of prevailing trends, the Maldives is expected to welcome a staggering 2.01 million tourists in 2024, marking a substantial 7.9% increase compared to […]
