Italy has become the top tourism market in the Maldives.
According to statistics publicized by Tourism Minister Dr. Abdulla Mausoom, 11,112 tourists visited the country this year as of January 2, of whom 21.1 percent - 2,343 tourists- were Italian. One thousand seven hundred and eighty-four tourists were from Russia, while 753 tourists were from India.
Statistics show that tourism in the Maldives has improved during this period this year compared to the previous two years. While 10,250 tourists arrived in the Maldives during the first two days of 2022, 6,165 tourists visited the Maldives in the same period in 2021.
There are currently 168 resorts, 869 guest houses, 158 safari vessels, and 13 hotels operating in the Maldives. These facilities have a total of 59,657 beds to serve tourists.
The Maldives' tourism industry was severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Tourism continued to improve in 2021 and 2022 and is expected to grow further this year. The government has set a target to host two million tourists this year.