The Maldives is seeing a change in its top five source market mix following its diplomatic spat with India. While India used to reign in 2023, it is now in fifth position.
For the period of January 1 to 23, 2024, Russia leads the pack and is followed by Italy, the UK, China, and finally, India.
Compared against 2023, India held pole position in terms of arrivals contribution, followed by Russia, China, the UK and Germany.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, there were 10,685 visitors from India during the first 23 days of the new year, while total arrivals for the same period was 140,646 visitors – up from 127,292 in the corresponding period in 2023.
China’s rise up the ranks has caught the attention of travel agents in the Maldives, who expressed hope that the enormous market, once the biggest source market for the Maldives in the pre-pandemic era, would compensate the drop in Indian arrivals.
Agents are hopeful that the increasing flights from China would bring more arrivals during the upcoming Chinese New Year holidays in February.
