Statistics from the Tourism Ministry indicate a downturn in Maldivian tourism following the conflict involving Iran that began in late February. Arrivals from all major source markets, with the exception of China and Russia, have seen a decline compared to last year.
According to official data, the Maldives recorded 1,227,786 tourist arrivals by the end of July this year. This represents a 5.2 percent decrease compared to the same period last year.
The downturn is not solely attributed to a decline in primary source markets. Year-on-year figures show that arrivals from emerging markets have also significantly diminished.
Arrivals from regions categorized as emerging markets, including Africa, South America, North America, and the Middle East, are all lower than the previous year.
The most pronounced disparity is seen in Middle Eastern markets, which are most directly impacted by the conflict involving Iran. While 49,893 tourists visited from this region during the first seven months of last year, arrivals dropped to 35,845 during the same period this year—a 28.2 percent slump.
Similarly, arrivals from the Americas—encompassing both North and South America—fell from 62,724 last year to 48,432 this year, marking a 22.8 percent decline. Arrivals from the African continent also decreased by 17.2 percent, falling from 11,504 to 9,523.
In terms of volume, the biggest loss in tourist numbers came from European countries, despite a relatively smaller percentage drop of 7.1 percent. By the end of July last year, Europe contributed 768,160 tourists, compared to 713,770 by July this year—a difference of over 50,000 visitors.
While arrivals from the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and France—all mainstays of the top ten source markets—were lower than last year, Russia saw an increase. Arrivals from Russia reached 179,801 by the end of July, representing a 17.3 percent growth.
China remains the leading source market, outpacing Russia. Chinese arrivals grew by 14.1 percent, with 216,759 tourists visiting by the end of July.
In addition to these two nations, Australia is emerging as a strong market with year-on-year growth. Arrivals from Australia increased from 24,636 to 28,643, a rise of 16.3 percent.
The decline in overall arrivals has impacted the industry's occupancy rate, which fell from 59.4 percent to 56.2 percent.
Despite the drop in occupancy, the number of operational resorts increased from 175 to 179 during this period. The total operational bed capacity rose from 63,501 to 67,617.
Furthermore, total bed nights—the duration tourists spent on holiday—increased to eight million. The average length of stay also saw a slight improvement, rising from 6.9 days to 7.2 days.
The government has projected 2.4 million tourist arrivals for this year. However, with current figures trailing behind last year’s performance, achieving this target will require record-breaking arrival numbers during the upcoming peak season.
If arrivals fail to meet government forecasts, this will mark the second consecutive year that the Maldives has fallen short of its budgeted tourism targets.
