According to the latest data from the Tourism Ministry, the number of tourists arriving in the Maldives via cruise ships has nearly doubled this year compared to the same period last year. As of last Tuesday, cruise liner arrivals totaled 15,577, a significant increase from the 8,263 recorded during the same timeframe in the previous year, marking an approximate 87 percent rise in cruise tourism.

Monthly data indicates that February saw the highest number of cruise visitors, with over 5,000 arrivals, followed by March, which welcomed more than 4,000 cruise passengers.

Despite the notable increase in cruise arrivals, overall tourist arrivals for the year so far stand at 1,281,360, slightly lower than the previous year. The Ministry reports that the Maldives is currently receiving an average of 5,932 tourists daily.

China remains the leading source market, accounting for 17 percent of total visitors. Russia is in second place with over 100,000 tourists, while the United Kingdom ranks third with more than 99,000 arrivals.

Earlier this year, the tourism sector faced several challenges. Following the sudden military strikes by the United States in Iran on February 28, travel routes through the Middle East—an important transit region for many Maldives visitors—experienced major disruptions.

Ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East resulted in widespread travel delays and cancellations. As tensions persisted, rising travel costs further impacted the global tourism industry, including the Maldives.