Day: December 9, 2024

The Maldives has achieved a significant milestone in its tourism sector, surpassing the total tourist arrivals recorded in 2023. By December 7, 2024, the country welcomed 1,877,567 tourists, exceeding the previous year’s total of 1,723,838.

Tourism Minister Ibrahim Faisal announced the achievement on X, stating, “Proud to share that the Maldives has surpassed last year’s total tourist arrivals! This milestone reflects the dedication of our tourism industry and the support of our visitors. We remain committed to achieving our 2024 target of 2 million arrivals.”

The increase in tourist arrivals is credited to strategic efforts by the Ministry of Tourism, including diversifying source markets, enhancing destination marketing campaigns, and fostering collaborations with airlines and travel trade partners. The Maldives also introduced new properties and unique experiences in 2024, reinforcing its reputation as a top global destination.

Key markets such as Russia and China continued to show strong growth, while emerging markets in Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia also contributed significantly to the total arrivals.

On Monday, Parliament received the Foreign Exchange Bill, which seeks to amend the existing mandatory requirement for resorts to exchange $500 per tourist. The proposed changes aim to make this optional or allow resorts to exchange 20% of their revenue instead.

The bill, presented by Inguraidhoo MP and PNC Parliamentary Leader Ibrahim Falaah on behalf of the government, was introduced for its first reading in Parliament on the same day.

Key provisions of the bill include enabling dollar-based payments at resorts and introducing additional concessions. Exceptions to the proposed charges are as follows:

• Tourists staying at the resort for less than 24 hours
• Children under the age of 10
• Guests provided with free accommodation at resorts
• Visitors granted special privileges by the government

Industry stakeholders have raised concerns about the $500 per tourist exchange requirement, which was mandated by an October regulation and reflected in the earlier forex bill proposal. Critics have highlighted potential challenges this might pose to the tourism sector.