The Ministry of Finance has stated that it expects two million tourist visits to the Maldives in 2024.
In the proposed state budget, the finance ministry estimated that two million tourists will visit the Maldives next year, while the bed night capacity is expected to increase by 7% to 14.3 million beds. In the budget report, the finance ministry stated that the number of tourists from the European market is expected to decrease compared to other years. However, the number of tourists from other markets, including China, is expected to increase next year as three more Chinese airlines are scheduled to commence flights to the Maldives.
Additionally, the new terminal at the Velana International Airport (VIA) is scheduled to become operational by 2025, increasing the capacity of the airport and doubling the number of tourist visits in the medium term. The finance ministry estimated that more than 2.5 million tourists will visit the Maldives in 2026.
The budget also forecasts a 6.6% growth in tourism next year, which would be the slowest year for tourism since 2016 and 2020. The tourism industry has been growing rapidly since 2021 after overcoming the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The industry recovered to pre-pandemic levels this year.