The Maldives has reached a landmark achievement in its 52-year history of tourism, recording the highest number of tourist arrivals in a single year. As of 23 December, the Ministry of Tourism announced that the country welcomed an impressive 1.97 million visitors this year.
This number exceeds the previous record set in 2023, positioning the nation close to its goal of attracting over two million tourists this year. To meet this target, the Maldives needs to welcome an additional 22,748 visitors.
Over the past 12 years, the Maldives has experienced steady growth in tourist arrivals. In 2013, the country received 1.12 million tourists, marking a 17.5% increase compared to 2012. This trend continued with 1.20 million visitors in 2014, a 7.1% increase over the previous year. The upward trajectory persisted with 1.23 million tourists in 2015, representing a 2.4% increment compared to 2014.
In 2016, the Maldives gained a 4.2% increase, attracting over 1.28 million visitors. The following year, tourist arrivals rose to 1.38 million, which was an 8% increment compared to 2016. In 2018, the Maldives welcomed 1.48 million visitors, a 6.8% increase from the previous year.
The year 2019 saw a significant boost, with 1.70 million tourists, marking a 14.7% increase compared to 2018. However, in 2020, tourist arrivals dropped to 555,494 due to travel restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, representing a 67.4% decrease compared to 2019. In 2021, the Maldives experienced a strong recovery with 1.32 million visitors, a remarkable 138% increase compared to 2020.
The positive trend continued in 2022 with 1.67 million tourists, a 26.7% increase over the previous year. In 2023, the Maldives welcomed 1.87 million visitors, a 12.1% increment compared to 2022. As of 23 December 2024, the country has welcomed 1.97 million visitors, a 9% increase over the total arrivals in 2023.
The tourism ministry anticipates achieving the target of welcoming over two million tourists by Thursday. This surge in tourist numbers aligns with the administration’s strategic efforts to promote and diversify the tourism sector. As part of these initiatives, the national carrier, Maldivian, is scheduled to commence international flights using wide-body aircraft in January.
The inaugural flights will be to Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu in China, with plans to expand operations to various European countries. The government expects that the deployment of wide-body aircraft will significantly enhance tourist arrivals by targeting major tourism markets worldwide.