Tourism Minister: Will reach 1.6M tourist arrival target in late December

Tourism Minister Dr. Abdulla Mausoom has stated that the government’s tourist arrival target for the year, 1.6 million, will be reached in late December.

Via a tweet on Thursday – Minister Mausoom that tourist arrivals for this November, as of 23^rd, have exceeded by 7.5 percent in comparison to 2019. He also added that Maldives is likely to achieve its tourist arrival target for the year, 1.6 million, by the third week of December.

In November 2019, Maldives saw 103,981 tourist arrivals. The number was significantly low in 2020, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic; 25, 288. Meanwhile, in November 2021, Maldives saw 109,317 tourist arrivals. So far in November, Maldives recorded 111,813 tourist arrivals – a much higher number in comparison to the previous three years.

So for this year, Maldives has welcomed 1.4 million tourists in total.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, China was the top tourist market to the Maldives – making up 16.7 percent of the total arrivals. At present, neighboring India is the top tourist market to the Maldives – making up 14 percent of the total arrivals.

Russia and UK follow by 12.3 percent and 10.9 percent respectively.

The island nation defended its title as the ‘World’s Leading Destination’ at World Tourism Awards for the third time this year.

MMPRC, in collaboration with Tourism Ministry, undertakes many efforts to promote Maldives as an ideal tourist destination across different markets in the world.