Male’, Maldives, 16th January 2024 – In a significant milestone, Saudi Arabia has secured its place among the top ten countries contributing to tourist arrivals in the Maldives, marking the first time it has achieved such recognition. According to recent statistics released by the Tourism Ministry, 1,182 visitors from Saudi Arabia have already explored the Maldives this year.
Comparing this year’s data to the previous rankings, where Saudi Arabia typically fell between the 13th and 20th positions in terms of tourist arrivals, this newfound inclusion in the top ten represents a notable shift. Notably, the month of January 2023 alone witnessed 1,400 tourists from Saudi Arabia visiting the Maldives, and this figure is expected to surpass expectations in the remaining weeks of the month.
In the preceding year, the Maldives welcomed around 30,000 tourists from Saudi Arabia. The current top ten list of countries with the highest tourist arrivals comprises Russia, Italy, India, England, Germany, China, Kazakhstan, and now, Saudi Arabia.
The overall trend signals a steady annual increase in tourist arrivals to the Maldives, particularly following the aftermath of the global pandemic. In 2022, approximately 80,000 tourists from Middle Eastern countries visited the Maldives, underscoring a growing interest in the destination. Besides Saudi Arabia, there has been a noteworthy surge in tourist numbers from the UAE and Kuwait.
As of now, in the ongoing year, the Maldives has welcomed a total of 51,000 tourists to the country.
