The Maldives, named the world’s second best island after Thailand’s Koh Samui at the 2026 Travel+Leisure awards, received 1.23 million tourists during the first seven months of 2026, down 5.2% year-on-year, amid flight changes and rising travel costs.
In July alone, total international visitor arrivals, including business travelers, stood at 184,735, down 1.9% year-on-year, according to data from the Ministry of Tourism of the Maldives.
The conflict in the Middle East has also disrupted the island’s tourism performance in 2026.
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Tourists on the beach of Maafushi Island, Maldives, in October 2024. Photo by AFP |
Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Ameen said changes to international flight routes and rising travel costs have posed challenges, particularly by weakening demand from Middle Eastern markets, according to Corporate Maldives, a leading publication for business and hospitality.
The impact has also extended to long-haul tourism, as many travelers from Europe and other regions reach the Maldives through Gulf aviation hubs.
As of July, the Maldives had 1,297 operational tourist accommodation facilities with a combined bed capacity of 67,868, Maldives Business Review reported.
The Maldives reached a historic tourism high in 2025 by welcoming 2.2 million visitors, up 10% from the previous year and generating US$5.4 billion in receipts.