January arrivals set a new record at 224,788, Tourism Ministry says
The year opens on its strongest footing in history — before the war in the Gulf reshapes the second quarter.
The Maldives welcomed 224,788 international visitors in January, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment reported on Sunday — a 4.6 per cent increase year-on-year and the highest January figure in the country's history.
Russia, Italy and China led the source markets in the first month. Officials at the Ministry said the pace 'confirms the trajectory of the 2.4 million visitor target for 2026,' though the Iran war, which began at the end of February, has since disrupted the calculus.
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