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Tourists in Maldives - Photo: Corporate Maldives

One out of every four tourists who visit the Maldives always returns to the country, according to the latest visitor survey published by the Ministry of Tourism.

The 2025 survey shows that the Maldives remains the absolute top choice for travelers. When planning a holiday, 78% of tourists (nearly 8 out of 10 people) choose the Maldives as their very first option. Another 19% said the Maldives is among their top preferred countries to visit.

Why Tourists Choose the Maldives

According to the statistics, most people choose the Maldives because of its clean, beautiful beaches.

• Beaches & Marine Life: 11% of tourists visit specifically to enjoy the white beaches and explore the underwater world.

• Peace & Safety: 5% of visitors come because the Maldives offers a safe and peaceful environment to relax.

• Advance Planning: Most tourists plan their trips 3 to 12 months in advance, especially those staying at luxury resorts and safari yachts.

The survey also noted that after the Maldives, the most popular competing destinations for these travelers are Thailand and Sri Lanka, followed by Bali (Indonesia), Dubai, and Mauritius.

This survey is taken from the tourist arrivals in 2025, key findings are:

• 73% were first-time visitors to the Maldives
• 20% had visited between 2 to 5 times
• 3% had visited more than 10 times
• 77% were highly satisfied with their holiday experience
• 84% expressed a desire to return to the Maldives
• 57% said their experience was even better than they expected.

A Temporary Drop in Tourist Arrivals

While the survey shows highly positive feelings from visitors, overall tourist numbers have seen a drop this year due to

global events.

By last Friday, the Maldives recorded 1.17 million tourist arrivals so far this year. However, this is a 4.7% decrease compared to the same period last year. So far this month, 104,040 tourists have arrived.

Tourism officials highlight that this is currently the low season for tourism. Additionally, arrivals have been badly hit by the war in the Middle East, which began on February 28. This conflict has slowed down the tourism industry and reduced the amount of US dollars entering the Maldivian economy.

Impact of the Global Conflict

The impact of the war on monthly tourist arrivals compared to last year shows a clear trend:

• March: Dropped by 20.7%

• April: Dropped by 24.4%

• May: Saw a small recovery with a 1.7% increase

• June: Dropped again by 12%