As 2023 drew to a close, the Maldives celebrated the arrival of 1,878,537 tourists throughout the year, surpassing the set target of 1.8 million arrivals. The milestone of one million tourist arrivals was achieved on 12th August 2023, followed by the 1.8 millionth arrival on 20th December 2023, meeting the annual goal.
The total figures recorded in 2023 reflect a notable 12.1% increase compared to the figures observed in 2022. Daily arrivals consistently exceeded 5,147 tourists throughout the year, with an average stay duration of 7.6 nights.
In a last-minute development, India managed to overtake Russia as the leading market with 209,198 arrivals, and Russia closely followed with 209,146. Following this, China secured its place among the top three markets with 187,118 visitors, marking a significant post-pandemic milestone for the country. Subsequently, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, the USA, France, Spain, and Switzerland form the list of top visiting countries.
According to statistics recently published by the Ministry of Tourism, the Maldives boasts an operational number of 176 resorts with 43,279 beds, 14 hotels with 1,940 beds, 809 guesthouses accommodating 13,657 beds, and 146 safari vessels adding 2,774 beds.
In 2023, nine new resorts were unveiled in the Maldives, collectively contributing over 2500 beds. Notable additions include NOOE Maldives Kunaavashi, Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort, Amari Raaya Maldives, Barceló Whale Lagoon Maldives, Joy Island Maldives, SO/ Maldives, Madifushi Private Island Maldives, Jawakara Maldives, and Oaga Art Resort.
Velana International Airport hosted 52 airlines in the past year, including scheduled and chartered carriers. Among them, 43 airlines were scheduled, with 22 operating year-round. Additionally, three airlines were exclusively summer-season providers, while seven operated solely in winter, offering both scheduled and charter flights. The total number of charter operators stood at 11.
For the fourth consecutive year, the Maldives received the prestigious title of the World’s Leading Destination at the World Travel Awards 2023, securing its place among the world’s top destinations.
23 new resorts with a capacity of 7,403 beds are currently under development and scheduled to open in 2024. President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has conveyed optimism regarding completing the new VIA terminal for this year’s peak tourism season. The terminal’s construction is focused on enhancing the annual passenger capacity, elevating it from the current 1.5 million to an impressive 7 million arrivals.
The Maldives has set the goal of achieving over 2 million tourist arrivals and 14.3 million bed nights for 2024. It is also predicted that the Maldives will experience a 7% increase in the number of nights tourists spend in the country during the year.
