Maldives tourist arrivals down 3.5% despite slight October growth

Tourist arrivals to the Maldives declined by 3.5% during the first ten months of 2026, despite a marginal increase in October, according to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.

The Maldives welcomed 1,762,751 tourists between January and October, compared with 1,826,934 during the corresponding period in 2025, representing a decrease of 64,183 visitors.

October recorded 190,774 tourist arrivals, an increase of 0.2% from the 190,445 visitors registered in the same month last year.

The monthly figure was also 28.2% higher than September's 148,801 arrivals, reflecting a rise in visitor numbers as the destination approaches its peak tourism season.

Daily arrivals averaged 6,154 tourists during October, with the highest single-day figure recorded on 17 October, when 8,621 visitors entered the country.

China remained the Maldives' largest tourism source market during the first ten months of 2026, contributing 331,817 visitors and accounting for 18.8% of total arrivals.

Russia followed with 256,822 tourists, representing 14.6%, while the United Kingdom ranked third with 135,897 visitors. Germany and Italy completed the five largest source markets, recording 119,589 and 105,485 arrivals, respectively.

Resorts continued to dominate the country's accommodation sector, hosting 1,304,721 tourists, or approximately 74% of arrivals. Guesthouses accommodated 381,605 visitors, accounting for 21.6%, while hotels and tourist vessels represented smaller shares.

As of 1 November 2026, the Maldives had 1,280 operational tourist accommodation establishments, offering a combined capacity of 67,984 beds. These included 180 resorts and marinas, 919 guesthouses, 17 hotels and 164 safari vessels.

Although October recorded a slight year-on-year increase, the cumulative arrival figures indicate that the tourism sector has yet to recover the shortfall recorded earlier in the year.

The Government recently revised its 2026 tourism projections to approximately 2.17 million arrivals, while setting a target of 2.5 million tourists and 14.5 million bed nights for 2027.

The latest figures highlight the importance of the remaining two months of 2026, as the Maldives enters its traditional peak tourism period.