Tourist arrivals to the Maldives reached 125,202 during the first two weeks of February, marking a 13.4 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Combined with January’s performance, total arrivals for 2026 so far stand at 349,990, up 7.6 percent year on year.
The early February surge aligns with one of the busiest seasonal windows in the global travel calendar. Chinese New Year, which fell in late January 2026 and extends into early February travel patterns, typically drives outbound travel from China, the Maldives’ largest source market this year. China accounts for 14.2 percent of arrivals so far, with 49,704 visitors recorded by mid-February.
The period also coincides with Europe’s winter travel season. February remains a peak long-haul escape window for travellers from colder climates, particularly from Russia, Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany, all of which feature among the top five source markets this year. School winter breaks across parts of Europe further support outbound leisure travel during this window.
Valentine’s Day, which falls mid-February, is another contributing factor. The Maldives continues to position itself as a premium romantic destination, and mid-February bookings often reflect this demand pattern, particularly within the resort segment.
Daily arrivals during the first two weeks of the month remained consistently strong, with most days recording between 7,800 and 10,000 visitors and peak days exceeding 11,000. The data suggests that demand was sustained across the fortnight rather than driven by a single spike.
Resorts absorbed 68.1 percent of arrivals during the period, while guesthouses accounted for 26.9 percent, indicating that growth remains concentrated in the traditional high-value segment but with continued strength in the mid-market space.
With February historically positioned between the New Year peak and the Easter travel window, the first two weeks of 2026 indicate that the Maldives is maintaining strong seasonal momentum before the next major European holiday period begins later in the spring.
