The latest update from Ministry of Tourism confirm that Russia has slipped from second position to third position in the top source market list as of 13 April 2022.
According to the state body, tourist arrivals to the Maldives as of the review date reached 498,235 – inching close to 500,000 – observing an increment of 45.3% in annual terms.
Furthermore, tourist arrivals to the Maldives in 2021 in annual terms was recorded at 342,840 whereas in 2020 the annual tourist arrivals for the review period stood at 382,762.
Despite the strong increment in tourist arrivals in 2022, it was still below pre-pandemic levels in 2019, where it stood at 551,527 in annual terms indicating that the tourist arrivals to the Maldives in annual terms in 2022 was still below 9.7% pre-pandemic levels.
Meanwhile, United Kingdom is currently the top source market to the Maldives with 65,683 arrivals, which is 13.2% of the market share and India is currently in second spot with 54,532 arrivals which is 10.9% of the market share.
India replaced Russia in the second spot, pushing the latter to third rank with an annual arrival of 53,716 which is a 10.8% market share. Russian arrivals to the country has dissipated owing to the ongoing geopolitical tensions between the country and its neighboring Ukraine.
Moreover, Germany remains consistent in fourth rank with 43,875 arrivals in annual terms which is 8.8% of the market share and Italy with an annual arrival count of 34,220 which is 6.9% of the market share.