News Desk
MALE’ — The Maldives has received 1,075,142 tourists so far this year, according to the latest figures from the Tourism Ministry, as the country maintains its position as one of the world’s most sought-after destinations despite global economic turbulence and disruptions to air travel.
Resorts continue to drive the bulk of arrivals, accounting for 72 percent of the total with 756,719 visitors. Guesthouses on inhabited islands attracted 244,755 tourists, representing 23 percent of arrivals, reflecting the continued growth of local island tourism as an alternative to the traditional resort model. Hotels across islands and cities received a further 25,521 visitors.
The daily arrival rate has eased from the highs seen at the start of the year. In January, around 7,000 tourists were arriving each day. That figure has settled to an average of approximately 5,200 per day, a drop that industry observers attribute to the normal pattern of the low season rather than any structural decline in demand.
China holds the top position among source markets, a place it has occupied consistently through 2026. Russia is second and the United Kingdom third. Italy ranks fourth and Germany fifth. India, which was among the top source markets in previous years, remains in sixth place, a position it has now held for some time as the diplomatic recalibration between Male’ and New Delhi has cooled some of the momentum that once made India the fastest-growing market for Maldivian tourism.
The figures suggest that the Maldives’ appeal, built on its natural environment and the one island one resort model that keeps its most exclusive properties isolated from the rhythms of daily life, continues to hold even as geopolitical shifts and economic pressures reshape travel patterns globally.
