The tourism industry has picked up pace with the peak season, marked by the arrival of the country’s two-millionth tourist in the last week of November. Steady growth across key source markets, coupled with expanding accommodation capacity, continues to reinforce the sector’s strong performance and resilience.
Corporate Maldives
Maldives Tourism Updates, published by the Ministry of Tourism and Environment indicate that total tourist arrivals to the country has reached 2.0 million by 26 November 2025, reflecting an increase of 10.0 percent, compared with the corresponding period of last year. The industry celebrated the arrival of two-millionth tourist on 27 November 2025. As of the publication date, total arrivals for November stood at 167,990, a 12.4 percent increase compared with the same period last year. Consequently, the daily average number of tourist arrivals for the month of November is at 6,461.
The increase in tourist arrivals is also reflected in the growth of bed capacity, with the number of registered beds increasing to 67,361 by the date of publication, compared with 66,824 beds recorded as of 29th October 2025. The Ministry of Tourism and Environment also reports that 98.6 percent of these beds were in operation at the time of its latest publication. The highest increase in bed capacity over the past month was recorded in resorts, while guesthouses and hotels also reported growth in their respective capacities. A monthly increase is also evident in the number of registered tourist establishments. As of 26 November 2025, 182 tourist resorts and 941 guesthouses were registered.
Statistics published by the Ministry further shows that 73.3 percent of total tourist arrivals went to resorts, while 21.4 percent stayed at local guesthouses. With 57 resorts and 328 guesthouses located in Kaafu Atoll, the Ministry reports that this atoll accounted for 44.9 of all tourist arrivals. The second-highest share of arrivals (8.7 percent of the total) was recorded in Alifu Dhaalu Atoll.
While China continues to be the largest source market, accounting for 16.1 percent of total tourist arrivals, Russia remains the second-largest source market with a 12.5 percent share. The United Kingdom and Germany follow, contributing 8.8 percent and 7.3 percent of total tourist arrivals, respectively.
While total arrivals continue to exceed the performance of previous years, the Ministry of Finance and Planning states in Government Budget 2026 publications that tourist arrivals will reach 2.4 million next year, reflecting an increase of 8.8 percent compared with the target for this year. The Ministry highlighted that the full-year impact of the Velana International Airport expansion and upgrades to Hanimaadhoo International Airport is expected be realized next year. The Ministry further expects the year on year growth rate of tourist arrivals to stabilize at 7.7 percent over the medium term.
The latest data underscore the expansion of Maldivian tourism industry, with steady increases observed across resorts, guesthouses, and source markets. Infrastructure investments and capacity enhancements are expected to further strengthen the sector, enabling continued growth in arrivals and visitor spending. The outlook remains positive, with medium-term projections signalling stable and sustainable expansion.
