Maldives continues to attract tourists during the pandemic.

According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), while many countries closed their borders to tourism, by the end of July 2021, Maldives had welcomed more than 575,000 international visitors, a 50% increase compared to 2020.

Tourist numbers in the Maldives increased as restrictions were eased, while major markets like Russia and India recovered rapidly, in addition to new markets from Europe and the Middle East.

Russian tourists led in numbers, accounting for 23.8% with nearly 137,000 arrivals. The surge in Russian tourists helped the Maldives compensate for the shortage of visitors.

According to statistics from the luxury resort Soneva in the Maldives, Russian tourists accounted for 30% of bookings in the first half of this year, double the level in 2020 and an 80% increase compared to 2019. "While the average stay in the Maldives is 9 nights, Russian guests tend to stay around 12 nights. When Covid-19 broke out last year, many tourists even stayed for 3 months or longer," a representative from the resort stated.

China, once the island nation's main market, now only has 738 visitors in the first six months of the year, a 97% decrease compared to 33,889 in the same period of 2020.

The Maldives hopes to welcome 1.5 million tourists by the end of this year, close to the record 1.7 million in 2019. Since reopening to tourism last July, the Maldives has opened 728 tourist establishments, including 154 resorts, 425 guesthouses, and 139 yachts. Many luxury resorts on secluded islands have been raking in up to $1 million a week from high-end visitors.

Bo Di