More than 124,000 tourists have touched down in the Maldives so far this July, marking yet another sun-soaked surge for the island nation's thriving travel season.

This was revealed by the Ministry of Tourism through its latest daily tourist arrival statistics published on Monday.

As such, statistics reveal that between July 1 – 21, 124,273 tourists were welcomed at Velana International Airport (VIA). This is a 13.7 percent increase from the 109,272 arrivals recorded in the same period of 2024 and higher than the 96,785 arrivals recorded the previous year.

The data further indicates that approximately 6,931 tourists came daily on average in January, 7,646 in February, 6,563 in March, 6,611 in April, 4,375 in May, and 4,726 in June. Up to this point in July, an average of 5,918 visitors are arriving each day. 

The Maldives is solidifying its status as a top luxury travel spot, with data indicating that 72.9 percent of tourists choose to stay at the country’s high-end resorts. This trend highlights the lasting attraction of the island nation’s unique lodgings and untouched environment for international tourists. 

To date, 898,774 guests have chosen the comfort of resorts. A total of 273,024 tourists account for 22.2 percent of those who stayed in guesthouses, 33,404 tourists represent 2.7 percent of guests at hotels, 26,329 tourists constitute 2.1 percent of the individuals on liveaboard vessels, and 872 tourists were accommodated in other facilities during this time frame. 

Moreover, the data indicates that China has maintained its status as the leading source of tourist arrivals in the Maldives, confirming its prominent role in the island nation's crucial economic sector. China continues to be the leading source of tourists to the Maldives, showing no signs of a slowdown, as the seventh month of the year approaches its close. 

Statistics from the tourism ministry showed that while Russia led the tourist source markets during the third week of January, it was overtaken by China in the final week of January. 

China has become the primary source of tourists since that time. China accounts for 14 percent of the market share with 172,878 visitors. 

By the end of 2024, China ranked first among the tourist source markets. 

Russia holds the second position on the list, contributing 11.7 percent of the market share with 144,629 arrivals recorded by Monday.

While Australia was part of the leading ten tourist source markets, it was overtaken by Spain by mid-July. 

On June 7, the Maldives celebrated the arrival of its one millionth tourist for the year. Kajal Singh reached the Maldives to enjoy her honeymoon at Malahini Kuda Bandos, marking her first trip to the Maldives. The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) declared that this was the quickest period in the country’s history for tourist arrivals to hit the one-million milestone within a single calendar year. To celebrate the achievement, Minister of Tourism and Environment Thoriq Ibrahim joined a special event at VIA to greet the milestone visitor in person. 

At the ceremony highlighting the Maldives' dedication to sustainable tourism, the one millionth tourist of 2025 was invited to plant a tree. Accepting the gesture, the visitor participated in a symbolic tree-planting event at Hulhulé, highlighting the country's continuous environmental efforts. 

In 2024, the Maldives received 2,046,615 tourists. In 2023, there were 1,878,543 recorded arrivals of tourists. 

A genuine gem of the Indian Ocean, the Maldives has been captivating enthusiastic travelers since tourism began in the island nation in 1972. The island paradise will have captivated travelers worldwide with its exceptional hospitality and scenic charm for 53 years.