February 2026 Sets Historic Record: 247,722 Tourist Arrivals in a Single Month

The Maldives recorded 247,722 tourist arrivals in February 2026, shattering the previous single-month record and pushing cumulative arrivals past the 500,000 mark by early March. The figures represent an 8.8% increase over the same period in 2025 and place the country on track to meet the government's ambitious target of 2.4 million arrivals for the full year.

The surge was driven by strong growth from several key source markets. Chinese arrivals, which had been recovering steadily since the post-pandemic resumption of direct flights, grew by 22% year-on-year to become the largest single market. Russian arrivals remained robust despite currency volatility, while European visitors — particularly from Germany, the UK, and Italy — continued to arrive in record numbers during the peak winter season.

The Ministry of Tourism attributed the record performance to expanded airlift capacity, with Velana International Airport now handling over 180 international flights per week compared to 145 in the same period last year. The opening of six new resort properties in late 2025 added approximately 1,200 beds to the national inventory, easing capacity constraints that had previously capped arrivals during peak months.

However, industry analysts cautioned that the strong early-year performance may not be sustained through the second half of 2026. The escalating Middle East conflict has already led to cancellations from Gulf-based tourists and disrupted transit routes through Doha and Abu Dhabi. Average daily rates at resorts have also softened by 4.3% compared to the prior year, suggesting that volume growth is being partially offset by pricing pressure.