Official data on the tourist flow to the Maldives for June and the first half of 2024 have become known. The total number of visits to the islands increased by 9.2%. The Russian tourist flow in the first half of the year differs little in terms of indicators from 2023, our compatriots are second after the Chinese in terms of the number of trips. The rapidly growing China is in the lead, but the Indian tourist flow to the islands has almost halved.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Tourism of the Maldives, 1,015,529 foreign visits were made to the Maldives in the first half of the year (from January 1 to June 30) 2024. This is 9.2% more than in the same period of 2023.
CHINA HAS ALMOST DOUBLED, RUSSIA STILL RANKS SECOND
The first place in the ranking of the key entry markets of the Maldives in the first half of 2024 is occupied by an almost doubled increase in its tourist flow to the islandsChina: 120,726 trips (+90.35% YoY). Compared to the first half of 2023, China has risen from the third to the first position in the TOP 10 markets.
The second place (as in 2023) belongs to Russia with 105,068 visits. This is only 3.18% less than in the first half of 2023, and mainly due to the subsidence in January and February of this year (see table 1).
The figures for March 2024 are better than last year’s by almost 8%, April and May have almost identical figures with the same months last year as June (but it showed a slight increase year-on-year, by 1.8%).
Table 1. Russian tourist flow to the Maldives, I half-years of 2023 and 2024
|
Maldives, tourist flow from Russia |
January |
February |
March |
April |
May |
June |
Total of the first half of the year |
|
Number of trips by month, 2024 |
20 113 |
19 733 |
21 906 |
16 292 |
12 159 |
14 865 |
105 068 |
|
Number of trips by month, 2023 |
23 180 |
21 567 |
20 313 |
16 979 |
12 174 |
14 608 |
108,821 |
|
Change in 2024 from 2023 |
-13.23% |
-8.48% |
+7.84% |
-4% |
-0.10% |
+1.76% |
-3.18% |
and Source: Maldives Immigration Service, Maldives Ministry of Tourism
Since spring, the demand for tours to the Maldives in Russia has remained at last year’s level. By the end of the year, tour operators are still expecting sales figures similar to last year. According to the key market participants surveyed, demand for the Maldives is stable, and there are no prerequisites for its sharp decline or growth yet.
According to estimates by tour operators FUN&SUN, TEZ TOUR, Anex, ITM Group and Let’s Fly (part of the GC “Fly.
A number of market participants (PAC Group, Space Travel, Russian Express), however, notice an increase in summer bookings – it is possible that a slight increase in the Russian tourist flow in June is the beginning of a longer “positive” trend.
The islands have their own “established” audience from the premium segment, which ensures a fairly steady and stable demand. The drop in summer arrivals compared to winter is a natural and traditional phenomenon, as in previous years, due to seasonality.
Only prices can have an impact on demand (the increase in the price tag by Maldivian hoteliers in the winter of 2023-2024 led to a slight decrease in demand, and summer discounts led to its observed activation).
According to the consolidated data of leading tour operators, in the summer season of 2024, the Maldives is confidently among the TOP 10 best-selling foreign destinations, ranking 5th-6th.
Russian tourist flow to Maldives, January-June, visualization 2023 and 2024.
EUROPE IS INCREASING TOURIST FLOW TO MALDIVES, INDIA IS FALLING DUE TO POLITICS
The third position in terms of tourist flow to the Maldives belongs to Great Britain (93,291 visits, +16.1%), the fourth position belongs to Italy (79,909 visits, +24.4%), the fifth was in Germany (78,135 visits, +18%).
India, which was number 1 in terms of tourist flow to the Maldives in the first half of last year, in the same period of 2024 – only the 6th position (63 463 visits, -45.5%, a drop of almost two times). The main reason is the conflict between the Maldives and India that broke out in 2024, which had a rather strange reason, but a serious geopolitical background.
Despite the almost twofold drop in arrivals from India, the Maldives, as we can see, continues to increase the total foreign tourist flow, primarily due to the extremely rapid growth of the Chinese market, which, again, as before the pandemic, quickly became the undisputed leader.
Significant (but not as serious as China’s) growth this year is also demonstrated by bookings of Maldivian resorts in European countries.