Bandos Maldives Kicks Off Festive Celebrations
The Maldives is experiencing a surge in tourist arrivals, with the daily average reaching 6,500, as reported by the Tourism Ministry. This presents a 10% increase compared to the same period last year, indicating the country’s increasing popularity as a travel destination.
To date, in 2024, the Maldives has welcomed 1.2 million visitors, which represents 67% of the government’s annual target of two million tourists. With the current momentum, the Ministry of Tourism is optimistic about achieving this goal.
August alone witnessed a staggering influx of travellers, with the number of tourists surpassing 78,000 by the 12th, highlighting a vibrant trend in tourist arrivals. Additionally, the average length of stay has risen, with tourists now spending an average of 7.8 days in the Maldives, providing further support to the tourism sector.
The highest influx was recorded in February of this year, with an average of 7,400 tourists arriving daily, bringing the total number of visitors for the month to 217,000. August is on track to become the second-highest month for daily arrivals, following closely behind February. Strong visitor numbers were also observed in January and March, with an average of 6,200 daily arrivals.
The largest number of tourists are from China, followed by Russia and the UK. India, which led tourist arrivals last year, now ranks sixth. The Ministry of Tourism is actively working to bolster Indian tourist numbers through specialised campaigns and promotions.
