Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) has said that even though the number of tourists coming to Maldives has gone down due to the Middle East war, the foreign currency the Maldivian economy received from the tourism industry has gone up by one percent.

According to a press release from MMA, the war that began on 28th February saw important aviation transit hubs close and travel costs rise, resulting in a severe drop in tourist numbers. MMA said that the total number of tourists up until June had fallen by six percent, with it being at five percent when taking July into account.

However, MMA said they are seeing signs that the situation is slowly getting better.

In an attempt to counteract the negative effects being experienced in tourism caused by the war, which has resulted in a reduction in the number of tourists that come to Maldives from Europe and North America, Maldives was promoted to new markets and made significant efforts in increasing connectivity, said MMA.

With the amendments to the Foreign Currency Act, the banking system and Maldives' official reserve has seen a USD increase from the tourism industry. Additionally, in order to help the TT support granted by banks in importing essential goods, MMA increased the USD sale amount for banks last week.

Around 1 million tourists have come to Maldives so far, which is a 4.5 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2025, which saw 1.3 million tourists arrivals in Maldives.