In under three months, Maldives welcomed around 500,000 visitors.

The Maldives experienced a surge in tourism in the first three months of this year. According to the Ministry of Tourism, 529,547 tourists visited the Maldives by the end of the first quarter. This represents a 13 percent increase compared to the same period last year, when 469,763 tourists came.

The highest number of monthly arrivals occurred in February, with 217,392 tourists entering the Maldives. However, the numbers declined to 119,770 in March as of the 20th.

China sent the most tourists so far this year, with 61,802 visiting in the first quarter. This moves China up from third place last year to first place this year. India, which held the top spot last year, has now fallen to sixth place. As of March 20th, India had sent 31,649 tourists.

Italy claimed the third spot this year, while Russia remained in second place like last year.

In total, the Maldives welcomed 1.8 million visitors in 2021. The government has set a target of 2 million tourists for 2022. The numbers so far indicate the country is on track to achieve this goal.