In February, tourist arrivals in the Maldives experienced a modest decline compared to the same month last year, although the broader picture for tourism remains strong. According to the Ministry of Tourism’s latest daily update, tourist arrivals in February 2025 reached 214,091 visitors, representing a 1.5% decline compared to the 217,392 arrivals recorded in February 2024.
Despite this small decrease, the overall trend for tourism remains positive, with the cumulative arrivals for January and February 2025 reaching 428,954, a notable increase from the 409,777 seen during the same period last year. January had a particularly strong performance, showing a significant rise of 11.7% compared to 2024, with 214,863 visitors.
The resort segment continued to dominate, accounting for 69.1% of tourist arrivals up to early March 2025. Guesthouses and hotels maintained their positions as popular alternatives, holding shares of 25.6% and 2.8%, respectively.
China remains the largest single market for the Maldives tourism sector, contributing 59,641 visitors, representing 13.4% of the total arrivals. Russia followed with 44,448 visitors (10%), closely trailed by the United Kingdom with 43,839 visitors (9.8%).
Early March has already shown encouraging signs, with 16,575 arrivals recorded within the first two days, marking a sharp 17.7% increase over the same period last year. The daily average arrivals have also climbed, reinforcing the optimism for continued growth into the year.
The Ministry of Tourism maintains confidence that these positive numbers early in March indicate a strong recovery potential, building upon the Maldives’ well-established position as a top international holiday destination.
