Tourist arrivals rise eight percent this month

Tourist arrivals to the Maldives increased by eight percent in the first week of this month compared to the same period last year, according to figures released by the Tourism Ministry.

Around 60,000 tourists arrived in the Maldives during the first week of February, up from 55,000 during the same period last year. In 2024, arrivals during the same week stood at 51,000.

The increase has been driven largely by a surge in visitors from China. Tourist arrivals from China typically rise significantly around the New Year period. While Russia was the largest source market last month, China has now taken the lead, with more than 35,000 arrivals recorded so far this month.

Since the start of the year, a total of 285,000 tourists have visited the Maldives, marking a five percent increase compared to the same period last year.

January also set a new historical record for monthly tourist arrivals. A total of 224,000 tourists visited the Maldives during the month, the highest number ever recorded for a single month.

China is the largest source market, followed by Russia, and Italy ranked third.

European countries continue to dominate tourist arrivals. Seven of the top 10 source markets are European, with China, India and the United States making up the remaining three.