Tourist Arrivals Increased by 15.1% as of March: Minister Faisal

The number of tourists that arrived in March this year shows an increase year on year of 15.1 percent, Tourism Minister Ibrahim Faisal said.

Minister Faisal shared the statistics of tourists visiting Maldives on X. The total number of tourists that have arrived in the country as of March 30th this year, since the beginning of January, was 596,724, as compared to 518,347 tourists during the same period last year.

The number of tourist visitors has increased and tax revenue from tourism products and services has also increased this year compared to the previous year.

މި އަހަރުގެ މާރޗް މަހާ ހަމައަށް ރާއްޖެއައި ފަތުރުވެރިންގެ އަދަދު ވަނީ މިދިޔަ އަހަރުގެ އެ މުއްދަތަށްވުރެ 15.1 އިންސައްތަ މަތިވެފައި. އަދި އޮކިއުޕަންސީ ވަނީ މި އަހަރުގެ ޖެނުއަރީ އަދި ފެބްރުއަރީ މަހުވެސް މިދިޔަ އަހަރުގެ އެމަސްތަކާއި އަޅައިބަލާއިރު އިތުރުވެފައި. https://t.co/8zpQLdiUwC pic.twitter.com/b7NgeOfl9C

— Ibrahim Faisal (@ifaisalofficial) March 31, 2024

In the first three months of this year, the number of tourists visiting Maldives exceeded 200,000 in a single month for the first time in its history. The number of tourist arrivals in the first quarter surpassed 500,000.

With the increase in tourist arrivals this year, the occupancy rate is also higher this year than last year. The occupancy rate stood at 73.1 percent in January, compared to 71.8 percent in January last year. In February this year, the occupancy rate was 79.7 percent, compared to 73.3 percent during the same period last year.

Experts predict that this increase in tourist arrivals and occupancy rate will also increase tourist spending in Maldives.

The government's tourism target for this year is to attract 2 million tourists for the first time. Based on the current tourist arrivals, 2 million tourists are expected to arrive in Maldives by the end of this year.