- Maldives tourist arrivals fell 1.9 per cent in July 2026 to 183,119, a narrower decline than June's sharp 12.9 per cent drop.
- The dip reflects a strong 2025 comparison base and Middle East conflict disruption affecting flight routes and travel costs, though arrivals stayed 9.3 per cent above July 2024.
- Growth from China (up 14.7 per cent) and Russia (up 17 per cent) helped contain the decline, but year-to-date arrivals remained 5.2 per cent below 2025.
Tourist arrivals to the Maldives remained slightly below last year’s level in July, as international travel disruption and a strong comparison base continued to affect growth. However, the annual decline narrowed considerably from the sharper fall recorded in June.
The country received 183,119 tourists during July 2026, down 1.9 per cent from 186,738 in the same month last year. The difference amounted to 3,619 tourists, or approximately 117 fewer arrivals per day.
The monthly statistics do not identify a single reason for the decline. However, the comparison comes against a strong July 2025, when arrivals increased 11.5 per cent from the previous year. Despite falling short of that elevated level, July 2026 arrivals remained 9.3 per cent higher than the 167,528 tourists recorded in July 2024.
Disruption linked to the conflict in the Middle East has also affected tourism performance during 2026. Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Ameen recently said changes to international flight routes and higher travel costs had created difficulties for the Maldives, particularly by weakening demand from the Middle East. The effects extend to long-haul travel because many visitors from Europe and other markets reach the Maldives through Gulf aviation hubs.
Aviation figures provide further context to the softer performance. Scheduled arrival flight movements at Velana International Airport declined 9.1 per cent during the first half of 2026, while total arrival flight movements fell 4.7 per cent. This is consistent with reduced scheduled traffic during the period, although July-specific flight data have not yet been released.
Growth from the two largest source markets helped contain the decline. By 18 July, arrivals from China were 14.7 per cent higher than a year earlier, while Russian arrivals had increased 17 per cent. However, these gains were not sufficient to offset weaker year-to-date performance across other markets.
July traditionally falls within the Maldives’ lower tourism season, when visitor demand is below the winter peak. This helps explain why arrivals remained below January and February, although seasonality alone does not account for the year-on-year decrease because the comparison covers the same month.
Even so, July marked a clear improvement from June, when tourist arrivals fell 12.9 per cent year-on-year to 123,552. Arrivals increased 48.2 per cent between June and July, making July the third-busiest month of 2026 and the strongest since February.
An average of approximately 5,907 tourists arrived each day during July, compared with 6,024 a year earlier. Total international visitor arrivals, including business travellers, stood at 184,735, down 1.9 per cent from July 2025. Business arrivals increased 3.2 per cent to 1,616, while no cruise passenger arrivals were recorded.
Tourist arrivals reached 1.23 million during the first seven months of 2026, approximately 5.2 per cent below the same period last year. The smaller July decline nevertheless indicates that the gap with 2025 is narrowing as the industry moves towards the latter part of the year.
