The tourism sector kept showing growth in the first quarter of 2026, but the pace of expansion was slower than in earlier quarters, as reported by the most recent Quarterly Business Survey published by the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA).

The survey, informed by input from companies in various economic sectors, revealed that tourism activity stayed favorable even with a drop in multiple key performance metrics.

The report indicates that the total revenue index dropped by 40 points but stayed above zero at 60 points, suggesting that companies still achieved greater profits even with reduced growth.

The resort bookings index dropped by 34 points to 56 points, indicating an ongoing rise in bookings at a slower rate.

Jobs in the tourism industry also grew during the quarter.

The employment index fell by 37 points to 20 points yet stayed positive, indicating that companies kept adding more employees.

Wage and labor-related expenses rose as well, yet the rate of increase decelerated, resulting in the corresponding index decreasing by 34 points to 28 points.

The survey indicated that tourism operators kept encountering increasing operational expenses.

The input prices index decreased by five points to 67, while the average room rate index fell by 17 points to 73. Both indicators, nonetheless, stayed at fairly elevated levels.

The MMA observed that global travel demand was influenced by persistent conflicts in the Middle East, which also affected tourism in the Maldives.

In spite of these obstacles, the survey showed that the industry is slowly bouncing back and progressing towards steadier situations.

In the meantime, data from the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation indicate that tourist arrivals totaled 981,976 as of June 10.