The Maldives celebrated a significant tourism milestone on Thursday, welcoming its two millionth international visitor of the year, signaling a major acceleration in the nation’s recovery and growth targets.
The two millionth tourist, identified as Bethany Sarah from the United Kingdom, was warmly welcomed with a special ceremony at Velana International Airport (VIA). Sarah, who arrived in the archipelago for her honeymoon, expressed surprise and delight at the recognition, describing Maldivians as "very kind and friendly peoples."
The celebratory event was attended by Minister of Tourism and Environment, Thoriq Ibrahim, who lauded the achievement as a testament to the hard work across the entire sector. Minister Thoriq highlighted the significant improvement compared to the previous year, noting that tourist arrivals have surged by between 9.8 percent and 10 percent this year—a growth he deemed "very significant."
This year’s milestone underscores the rapid expansion of the Maldivian tourism industry. While the Maldives first reached two million tourists last year, it did so on 26 December. Achieving the same figure a full month earlier this year indicates a strong upward trajectory in the destination's appeal.
Currently, the Maldives maintains a robust daily arrival rate of over 6,000 tourists, with China serving as the largest source market, contributing over 300,000 visitors to date. Minister Thoriq emphasised that the continued commitment of all industry stakeholders remains critical to sustaining this record-breaking pace.