Tourist arrivals to the Maldives returned to year-on-year growth during the first 22 days of August 2026, providing an encouraging signal for the country’s tourism industry after declines were recorded in both June and July. According to figures from the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, the Maldives welcomed 150,465 tourists between 1 and 22 August, an increase of 4,106 visitors compared with the 146,359 tourists recorded during the corresponding period of 2025. This represents year-on-year growth of 2.8 percent and reflects a strengthening of visitor demand as the country enters the latter part of the year.
The August performance was also notably stronger compared with the same period two years earlier. Tourist arrivals during the first 22 days of August were 9.5 percent higher than the 137,352 visitors recorded during the corresponding period of 2024. An average of 6,839 tourists arrived in the Maldives each day during the reporting period, demonstrating sustained international demand for the destination. The highest daily arrival figure was recorded on 8 August, when 7,879 tourists entered the country, followed closely by 7,845 arrivals on 15 August. The lowest daily total was 5,916 on 21 August. Arrivals exceeded 7,000 tourists on 10 of the first 22 days of the month, indicating a relatively consistent flow of visitors across the period.
The renewed growth in August follows mixed tourism performance during the earlier months of 2026. Tourist arrivals increased by 5 percent year-on-year in January and recorded strong growth of 17.7 percent in February. Arrivals subsequently declined by 19.8 percent in March and 24.4 percent in April before recovering with growth of 1.7 percent in May. The market then recorded declines of 12 percent in June and 1.9 percent in July. The 2.8 percent increase during the first 22 days of August therefore represents the first year-on-year improvement since May and provides a positive indication of strengthening demand ahead of the final months of the year.
Despite the encouraging August performance, overall arrivals for the year remained below the corresponding level recorded in 2025. Total visitor arrivals reached 1,405,082 as of 22 August 2026, representing a decline of 3.8 percent compared with 1,460,747 visitors during the same period last year. Tourist arrivals alone stood at 1,378,251, compared with 1,441,227 during the corresponding period of 2025, leaving a difference of nearly 63,000 tourists. Business arrivals and cruise passenger figures for August are expected to be incorporated into the overall statistics at the end of the month.
China continued to lead the Maldives’ tourism market, contributing 256,983 arrivals and accounting for 18.6 percent of total tourist arrivals during the year. Russia remained the second-largest source market with 202,496 visitors, representing a 14.7 percent market share. Together, China and Russia accounted for approximately one-third of all tourist arrivals to the Maldives, demonstrating the importance of the two markets to the country’s tourism industry. The United Kingdom, Italy and Germany completed the five largest source markets, highlighting the Maldives’ continuing appeal across both Asian and European travel markets.
Resorts remained at the centre of the Maldives’ tourism industry, accommodating 73.4 percent of all tourists recorded during the year. The country’s internationally recognised resort sector continues to distinguish the Maldives through its unique one-island-one-resort concept, extensive selection of beachfront and overwater accommodation, high standards of hospitality, natural marine environments and strong emphasis on privacy and personalised guest experiences. Resorts located across the country’s atolls provide access to pristine beaches, coral reefs and distinctive island surroundings, strengthening the Maldives’ position as one of the world’s leading premium island destinations.
The continued dominance of resorts also reflects the strength and maturity of the country’s tourism infrastructure. As of 22 August, the Maldives had 68,494 operational tourist beds, of which 45,115 were available at resorts and marinas. This substantial resort capacity enables the destination to serve a broad international market while supporting employment, investment, transport services, food supply chains and numerous other sectors connected to tourism. Continued development and upgrading of resort properties, alongside the introduction of new tourism products and international hospitality brands, further strengthens the Maldives’ competitiveness in the global tourism market.
Guesthouses accounted for a further 22.2 percent of tourists during the year, highlighting the increasing diversity of accommodation available across inhabited islands. The guesthouse sector had 17,244 operational beds as of 22 August, complementing the country’s established resort industry and expanding opportunities for visitors seeking different types of Maldivian travel experiences. The combination of premium resorts, guesthouses and other tourism facilities has broadened the country’s tourism offering while extending the economic benefits of the industry across a greater number of local communities.
The improvement recorded in August provides an encouraging indication for the tourism sector as the Government continues efforts to strengthen destination promotion, expand international connectivity and support sustainable growth across the industry. With the Maldives maintaining a substantial tourism capacity, a diversified accommodation portfolio and strong recognition among travellers worldwide, the return to year-on-year growth during August reinforces optimism for stronger visitor performance during the remaining months of 2026.
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