Industry
Arrivals pass 1.8 million for 2026 but trail last year by about 3%
Figures to 4 November show 1,803,749 international visitors, against 1,858,995 at the same point in 2025.
Industry · 2026-11-11 · Drafted with AI assistance and edited by the newsroom
The Maldives had recorded 1,803,749 international visitor arrivals in 2026 as of 4 November, about 3% fewer than the 1,858,995 at the same point in 2025.
Counting holiday tourists only, arrivals for the first ten months reached 1,762,751, compared with 1,826,934 a year earlier, a fall of 3.5%. The wider figure also includes business travellers and cruise passengers.
October was slightly ahead of last year, with 190,774 tourists against 190,445 in October 2025, a rise of 0.2%.
For 2027, which the government has named Visit Maldives Year, the finance minister told Parliament the aim is 2.5 million tourists and 14.5 million bed nights.
The figures come from Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation statistics as reported by the trade press.