The Maldives marked a significant tourism milestone on Saturday, welcoming its one millionth tourist for the year—its fastest achievement of the figure to date.
Minister of Tourism and Environment, Thoriq Ibrahim, announced the achievement on X, noting that this has been the quickest the Maldives has reached a million tourists and that the country is well on course to welcome its target of 2.3 million this year.
The milestone arrival was Kajal Singh from India, who received a warm welcome at Velana International Airport. Minister Thoriq personally greeted her and extended his best wishes for an enjoyable stay in the Maldives.
This year’s one millionth arrival comes notably earlier than in previous years—on 29 June in 2024 and 16 July in 2023—indicating sustained growth and momentum in the tourism sector.
The government has set an ambitious target of 2.1 million tourist arrivals for 2025. As of now, the Maldives boasts 1,198 registered and operational tourist establishments, offering a total of 64,978 beds. This includes 183 resorts, 841 guesthouses, 158 safari vessels, and 16 hotels. The overall operational capacity has expanded, with notable growth in the resort segment.
Despite achieving this tourism milestone earlier than ever, the latest Macroeconomic Update from the Ministry of Finance and Planning reveals modest growth in bed nights—rising just 0.7% in the first quarter of 2025. However, a drop in the average duration of stay, now at 6.1 days under the baseline scenario, presents a financial challenge. With revenue per tourist under strain, the government has recognised the need for more targeted marketing and data-driven pricing strategies to encourage longer stays and boost tourist spending.
