Tourist arrivals to the Maldives in February have accelerated sharply, with the first three weeks of the month showing double-digit growth compared to the same period last year.
According to the Ministry of Tourism’s Daily Update of 22 February 2026, the Maldives recorded 190,836 visitors between 1 and 21 February. This represents a 15.2 percent increase compared to 165,605 arrivals during the same period in February 2025.
When January and February figures are combined, total arrivals for 2026 reached 418,034 as of 21 February, up 9.5 percent from 381,870 recorded during the same period last year. February’s stronger pace appears to be driving this overall growth, as January had already posted 227,198 arrivals.
The daily arrivals trend for February shows fluctuations typical of seasonal travel patterns, with several days exceeding 10,000 arrivals. Peak days during the month surpassed 11,000 visitors, indicating sustained demand during what remains a high season for Maldivian tourism.
China has emerged as the leading source market so far this year, accounting for 67,185 tourists or 16.2 percent of total arrivals as of 21 February. Russia follows with 46,636 visitors, while Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany round out the top five markets. The market mix reflects continued recovery in East Asian demand alongside stable European flows.
Resorts continue to absorb the majority of visitors. Of the 415,624 tourists recorded so far in 2026, 68.2 percent stayed in resorts, while 26.8 percent chose guesthouses. Hotels and safari vessels account for smaller shares. Total operational bed capacity stood at 67,047 as of 21 February, with resorts representing 67 percent of that capacity.
The 15 percent year-on-year increase for February suggests that 2026 is maintaining upward momentum after a record 2025, which saw over 2.27 million visitors by year-end. If the current pace continues through the remainder of the month, February could close as one of the stronger early-year performance periods in recent years.
