The government has set a target of 2.4 million tourist arrivals for 2026.
According to the budget book submitted by the parliament, around 2.4 million tourists are expected to visit the Maldives next year. This is 100,000 more than the target set this year.
This year's tourist arrival target is 2.3 million, but the government now estimates that the goal cannot be achieved. The target has now been dropped to 2.2 million in 2025.
The government predicts that tourism will grow by 6.8 percent next year. This is lower than the sector's growth forecast of 8.8 percent this year.
The government also forecasts a slowdown in tourist stays or bed nights next year. Bed nights grew by 7.7 percent this year, but is expected to drop to 7.2 percent next year.
The decline in bed nights will directly affect the tourism sector and government tax revenue.
Tourism Goods and Services Tax (TGST) collection stood at MVR 10.7 billion this year. The government expects the figure to increase to MVR 11.4 billion next year.
