The number of tourist arrivals to the Maldives in August this year significantly decreases compared to the same period of 2021.
The number of tourists arriving in the Maldives this year has been increasing month by month compared to last year. However, the number of tourist arrivals to the Maldives in August 2022 decreased by 8.2% in August, according to statistics from the Ministry of Tourism. The statistics showed that 131,863 tourists arrived in August this year, which is a decrease of 11,736 tourists. It is the first month that tourist numbers have suddenly dropped so sharply this year.
Commenting on the recent low number of tourist arrivals, Minister of Tourism Dr. Abdulla Mausoom said August is generally the low season for tourists. However, there are many reasons for the decline in tourist arrivals in August, one of the most notable being the increase in fuel prices due to the increase in airline ticket prices, he said. In addition, he said the heat wave in European countries also contributed to the decline in the number of tourists arriving in the Maldives.
In August, the average daily arrivals were 4,254, which is recorded as a decline of 54 tourists compared to the 4,308 tourist arrivals recorded on average in July. The end of the year is the high season for tourism in the Maldives. As such, the number of tourist arrivals is expected to increase from October.
Although the number of tourists in August declined, the number of tourists increased year-on-year. In this regard, 1,078,635 tourists arrived in the first eight months of the year. The arrivals recorded in the same period of last year were 755,966.
The Maldives expects to welcome a total of 1.6 million tourists by the end of the year. The tourism ministry has also revealed that 25 international airlines are operating flights to the Maldives and over 1,183 tourist facilities are currently in operation across the country.