- Maldives recorded 84,191 tourist arrivals in the first fortnight of November 2026, down 5.4% year-on-year from 88,991, though still 5.3% above 2024 levels.
- Cumulative 2026 arrivals reached 1,846,942 by 14 November, trailing 2025 by 68,983 visitors or roughly 3.6%.
- China and Russia remained the top source markets with 340,625 and 269,344 arrivals, while resorts captured 73.9% of total tourist traffic.
Tourist arrivals to the Maldives softened marginally in the first two weeks of November compared with October’s daily rate and continued to trail the previous year’s figures, widening the cumulative deficit seen throughout 2026.
Data published by the Ministry of Tourism & Civil Aviation shows that 84,191 tourists arrived in the country between 1 and 14 November. That total fell short of the 88,991 visitors recorded over the equivalent stretch in 2025 by 4,800, representing a 5.4% year-on-year reduction.
The Maldives averaged roughly 6,014 visitors per day across the 14-day period, down from approximately 6,357 during the same timeframe a year earlier—a gap of about 343 tourists daily.
Arrival momentum also slowed slightly relative to October, when total tourist traffic reached 190,774 at an average of around 6,154 visitors per day. The opening fortnight of November tracked roughly 2.3% below October’s daily pace.
Daily visitor numbers varied noticeably across the fortnight. Arrivals peaked on Saturday, 7 November, with 7,061 tourists entering the Maldives, while Sunday, 8 November, followed closely with 6,946. Conversely, traffic dipped to a low of 4,888 on Wednesday, 4 November. Despite strong weekend surges, overall volume remained insufficient to match last year’s performance.
Even so, arrivals outpaced the corresponding fortnight in November 2024, which saw 79,970 visitors. The latest two-week total stood approximately 5.3% higher than 2024 levels, positioning current demand between the benchmarks of the past two years.
With the latest figures included, cumulative tourist arrivals for 2026 reached 1,846,942 by 14 November, compared with 1,915,925 over the same span in 2025. Overall arrivals for the year remained 68,983 visitors—or roughly 3.6%—below last year’s tally.
China and Russia held their positions as the top two source markets for 2026 to date, generating 340,625 and 269,344 arrivals respectively. Combined, the two nations accounted for approximately one-third of all tourist traffic. The United Kingdom placed third with 143,688 arrivals, ahead of Germany, Italy and India.
In terms of accommodation distribution up to 14 November, resorts captured 73.9% of total tourist arrivals, while guesthouses drew 21.8%. Hotels and safari vessels represented 2.2% and 2.0% respectively, underscoring the continued dominance of resorts alongside consistent demand for local guesthouses.
