With the current trend of tourist arrivals, the total number is expected to reach 2.3 million by the end of the year, Tourism Minister Ibrahim Faisal has said.
The government has set a target of two million tourists for 2024.
Speaking at the launch of Youth Hack 2024, Faisal said Maldives would attract 2.3 million tourists if the markets of India and China were maintained at the current level.
"If the Chinese and Indian markets are held at that level, I think we can finish 2024 with around 2.3 million tourist arrivals. If that happens, it will be a huge improvement. We are working towards that," he said.
According to the latest statistics released by the Tourism Ministry, 174,400 tourists visited the country in the first 29 days of this year.
This is an increase of 11.9 percent over the same period last year and a 48 percent increase compared to 2022.
Five countries with the highest number of tourists
- Russia - 18,561
- Italy - 18,111
- China - 16,529
- UK - 14,588
- India - 13,989
China and India have been the two largest source markets in recent years. The number of tourists from India has slowed down while the Chinese tourist arrivals are rising.
The low number of tourists from India comes amid a campaign to boycott Maldives. However, the campaign has not yet had a significant impact on Maldives' tourism, according to Maldives Association for Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO).
