Maldives has welcomed 90,000 tourists in the first two weeks of the year, marking an 8 percent increase compared to the same period last year when 83,000 arrivals were recorded.

According to the Ministry of Tourism, 70 percent of the tourists, amounting to 63,000 visitors, are staying at resorts. Hotels and guesthouses host 25,000 tourists, accounting for 28 percent of total arrivals. The remaining 2,200 tourists have opted for safaris and liveaboards.

Despite resorts being the most popular accommodation choice, they represent 69 percent of the total bed capacity in the Maldives, with 42,000 out of the 61,000 tourism service beds available. Guesthouses hold 22 percent of the bed capacity, offering 13,000 beds.

Europe remains the leading source of tourists during the December/January period. Russia tops the list of arrivals this year, followed by Italy and the UK. China, which ranked first last year, has now dropped to fourth place.

The Maldivian government has set an ambitious target to welcome 2.2 million tourists in 2025.