The annual tourist arrivals to the Maldives has increased by 26.9 percent this year, compared to last year.
From January to December 21, the total tourist arrivals to the Maldives was recorded at 1,607,314. The Maldives exceeded the arrival target set by the state on December 20, when the 1.6 millionth tourist was welcomed.
Meanwhile, in 2021, tourist arrivals reached 1,266,735 by the end of the year.
Despite a significant arrival improvement this year, it was still 1.9 percent lower when compared with the same period in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic. Tourist arrivals in that year were recorded at 1,638,798.
In terms of top source markets for the Maldives, India continues to top the list, with Russia close behind in second place and the UK in third.
01. India: 223,573
02. Russia: 192,852
03. UK: 173,220
04. Germany: 128,694
05. Italy: 89,097
06. USA: 78,011
07. France: 46,137
08. Spain: 40,970
09. South Korea: 35,544
10. Switzerland: 33,078
By December 21, a total of 33 international carriers had made regular flights to the Maldives. Some of the major airlines include Air France, British Airways, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, among several other carriers.
Maldives currently has a total of 1,208 registered tourist properties, which gives a combined bed capacity of 60,699.