Global travel in 2025 demonstrated clear resilience, with international tourist arrivals increasing by 4% to reach an estimated 1.52 billion travellers worldwide. The industry has moved beyond recovery and is now entering a more stable growth phase. Equally significant is the value generated by this momentum, with international tourism receipts estimated at USD 1.9 trillion, confirming that demand was not only strong in volume but also in overall spending power. These figures reflect a global travel environment where consumers continue to prioritise experiences, international connectivity continues to strengthen, and destinations compete on quality, service, and differentiation rather than simply reopening capacity.
Against this global backdrop, the Maldives delivered an impressive performance in 2025. The country welcomed 2,246,516 visitors, marking a 9.8% year-on-year increase and significantly outperforming the global average. This growth underscores the Maldives’ sustained appeal as a premium island destination and reinforces its competitive positioning in an increasingly dynamic international marketplace. The strong close to the year carried forward into 2026, with December 2025 recording 224,455 arrivals, representing a 7.4% increase year-on-year, followed by 224,788 arrivals in January 2026, up 4.6% compared to the same period last year. These figures highlight continued traveller confidence and steady booking momentum during the peak winter season.
Beyond headline arrivals, the health of demand in the Maldives is best reflected in quality indicators such as bed nights, occupancy, and average length of stay. In 2025, the Maldives recorded 13.67 million bed nights, a 2.4% increase year-on-year. At the same time, the average number of beds in operation rose to 64,377, an increase of 4.3%. This indicates that accommodation capacity expanded faster than bed nights, signalling that the next phase of growth will depend on optimising utilisation and filling incremental supply more efficiently throughout the calendar year. Overall occupancy for 2025 stood at 58.3%, reflecting a healthy but competitive environment as new properties enter the market and diversify the product offering.
Performance by segment shows encouraging trends across the tourism ecosystem. Resorts maintained a strong annual occupancy rate of 68.3%, peaking at 73.5% in December, reflecting robust seasonal demand for high-end and experiential travel. Guesthouses emerged as a particularly positive segment, achieving 40.6% occupancy, an increase of 5.2 percentage points year-on-year, signalling the continued rise of community-based tourism and diversified accommodation choices. Liveaboards recorded softer performance at 23.8%, suggesting opportunities for targeted promotion and product repositioning within the marine and adventure segment.
Looking ahead, the outlook for 2026 remains cautiously positive. Global growth is expected to continue in the range of 3% to 4%, supported by easing inflation in travel services and improving air connectivity, while still influenced by geopolitical tensions and cost pressures. For the Maldives, airlift capacity remains the most predictive forward indicator of performance. Between February and June 2026, scheduled inbound seats are forecast at 1.61 million, representing a 5.1% increase year-on-year. March is expected to see peak capacity at 369,800 seats before moderating to 279,200 seats in June, reflecting the natural seasonal shift toward the shoulder period.
Route dynamics also indicate an evolving market mix. The share of direct Europe capacity is projected to decline from 12.3% in February to 1.6% in June, while the share of GCC hub connections is set to increase from 38.6% to 45.7% over the same period. This shift highlights the growing importance of hub-led corridors such as Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi, alongside recovery markets in South Asia and Asia more broadly. The strategic focus for the coming months will be to maximise conversion during peak seat availability, particularly in March, and to protect performance through May and June by aligning marketing and airline collaboration efforts with these high-capacity corridors. With the top ten carriers controlling 66% of total capacity, targeted seat-fill strategies will play a central role in maintaining momentum.
In summary, global tourism in 2025 demonstrated steady expansion with 4% growth and USD 1.9 trillion in receipts, while the Maldives outperformed the global average with 9.8% annual growth and sustained momentum into early 2026. The key priority for the year ahead will be optimising utilisation as capacity continues to expand, ensuring that the Maldives remains competitive in a more conversion-focused environment. With strong airlift forecasts, diversified accommodation offerings, and consistent global appeal, the Maldives enters 2026 positioned for continued growth and sustained value creation for international travellers and industry stakeholders alike.
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