Tourist arrivals from China have surpassed Russia to become the Maldives’ largest source market so far this year, according to the latest data released by the Ministry of Tourism and Environment.
As of 7 February 2026, arrivals from China stood at 35,123, placing the country at the top of the source-market rankings. Russia, which had led earlier in the year, now ranks second with 35,112 visitors, followed by Italy in third place with 28,676 arrivals. The shift is largely attributed to the seasonal surge in Chinese outbound travel during the Chinese New Year period.
Total tourist arrivals reached 285,127 as of 7 February, reflecting a 5.3 per cent increase compared to 270,706 arrivals during the same period in 2025. Resorts continue to dominate accommodation choices, hosting 68 per cent of visitors (194,023 tourists), followed by guesthouses with 27 per cent (77,075 tourists), hotels with 7,703 arrivals, and safari vessels with 6,069 arrivals.
Velana International Airport remains the primary gateway, recording 281,591 arrivals so far this year. Maafaru International Airport handled 945 arrivals, while Gan International Airport recorded 941.
The highest single-day arrival figure this year was recorded on 1 February, when 10,253 tourists entered the country – surpassing the previous daily record of 10,213 set on 11 February 2025. Daily arrivals are averaging 7,171 tourists.
Last year, the Maldives achieved its highest-ever annual total, exceeding 2.2 million visitors. President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has set a national target of 2.5 million tourists for 2026 and has designated the year as “Visit Maldives Year” to drive sustained growth.