Tourism in the Maldives has been one of the key contributors to the country’s economic growth, and the latest figures show a promising trend. The first quarter of 2023 has exceeded pre-pandemic arrivals with a total of 523,928 tourists arriving in the country, compared to 482,978 in the same period of 2019. This represents an increase of 8.5%, a clear indication that the Maldives’ tourism industry is recovering well after the pandemic.

Moreover, it is not just the number of tourists that has increased, but the average duration of stay has also gone up. In the first quarter of 2019, visitors stayed for an average of 6.3 nights, while in Q1 2023, it has increased to 8 days. This increase in the duration of stay is a positive sign for the Maldives tourism industry as it indicates that visitors are enjoying their time in the country and are willing to spend more time there.

The Maldives government projected over 1.8 million tourists to visit the country this year, and in the first quarter, 29% of this target has already been met. This is a significant achievement for the country, especially considering the challenges that the tourism industry faced during the pandemic. The Maldives government and tourism industry have been working hard to attract visitors back to the country, and these latest figures show that their efforts are paying off.