Business
Maldives posts slight decline in tourist arrivals in April
Maldives on Tuesday reported a slight decline in tourist arrivals, as the destination recovers from a wave of domestic political turmoil.
Maldives attracted a wave of bad publicity following the recent declaration of a state of emergency, which ended in March. However, the political turmoil was strictly restricted to the capital city, away from the resorts and local islands where holidaymakers stay in.
Official figures for the month of April released by the tourism ministry show that a total of 119,713 tourists visited the Maldives during the month — a 0.1 percent decrease over the 119,774 tourists in April 2017.
Europe, the largest regional source market, posted an overall growth of 2.2 percent over April 2017, as arrivals increased to 62,871 from 61,542.
The UK, which is the single biggest European source market, made a gain of 15.4 percent, while the French market also recorded an increase of 19.5 percent. However, several major European markets such as Germany (down 18.8 percent), Italy (down 2.5 percent) and Spain (down 17.1 percent) posted declines.
Russian travellers once again showed their appetite for the Maldives, as arrival numbers jumped 19.1 percent in April to reach 6,433 from 5,400 in April 2017. This strong performance last month translated into an impressive growth of 29.6 percent in arrivals from Russia for the first four months of the year.
Meanwhile, arrivals from Asia, the second largest regional source market, decreased 4.6 percent in April.
Arrivals from China declined by 28 percent to reach 15,093 compared to the 20,975 in April 2017. This decline, which came after a 27.5 percent decline in March and another 15.8 percent in January, offset the rare gain in arrival numbers from China and led to a 6.9 percent decline in arrivals for the January-April period from the Maldives’ single biggest source market.
However, major contributors to Maldives tourism from South East Asia continued to post strong gains in April as well, with arrivals from countries such as Malaysia and Thailand increasing by 9.4 percent and 51.4 percent respectively. Arrivals from Singapore, however, declined by 5.5 percent.
Arrivals from South Asia, which has become one of the fastest growing source markets, posted a gain of 5.3 percent in April after two months of negative growth. This is largely due to a 4.2 percent increase in tourists from India, which is the most important market in the region, and another 23.8 percent growth in arrivals from Sri Lanka.
Despite the mixed performance in established markets, relatively new markets continued their upward growth trajectory last month as well, as arrivals from the Americas were up 9.8 percent and Oceania up 54.4 percent.
Arrivals from the US, which last year secured a place amongst the top 10 contributors to the Maldives tourism industry, increased by 2.5 percent to reach 3,266 last month compared to the 3,187 in April 2017, while the number of visitors from Australia also increased by 60.3 percent. However, South Africa, which has been on the recovery, posted a decline of 19.2 percent — the first major decline in almost a year.
Middle East, which has proven to be a volatile market, recorded an 8.7 percent growth in April after major declines for the past two months. This is largely due to increases in arrivals from Saudi Arabia (up 2.5 percent), United Arab Emirates (up 5.4 percent), Kuwait (up 24.4 percent) and Qatar (up 89 percent). Egypt, however, posted a decline of 6.9 percent.
According to the April statistics, total arrivals for the first four months of the year increased by 12.7 percent to reach 539,816 compared to the 478,827 in the same period of last year.
Over the past five years, dozens of uninhabited islands have been leased to local and foreign resort developers. Several international brands have entered into the market, increasing the number of resorts to 120. That number is set to increase as the government has announced the opening of some 20 new resorts over the next two years.
Along with the new resort openings come the challenge of increasing demand from budget travellers who choose guesthouses over luxury resorts that the Maldives is known for. The guesthouse sector has rapidly expanded with over 450 guesthouses in operation today.
The government has recently announced new steps to maintain a structured growth in tourism, including a slowdown in leasing islands for resort development and increased marketing efforts in key markets such as China and the Middle East in order to reach an ambitious target of a record 1.5 million tourist arrivals this year.
Photo: Kurumba Maldives
Hotelier Maldives has announced Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) as the Title Partner of Hotelier Maldives Awards 2026 under a multi-year agreement, reaffirming one of the longest-standing partnerships behind the publication’s flagship hospitality recognition platform.
The 2026 edition marks the third consecutive year that BBM has served as Title Partner of Hotelier Maldives Awards, having supported the event in the same capacity since its launch in 2024. BBM has also backed Hotelier Maldives’ second flagship event, GM Forum, every year since 2023, with 2026 set to mark its fourth year as a Silver Partner of the forum.
The continued partnership reflects a shared commitment to recognising the people behind the Maldives’ tourism industry while supporting platforms that encourage industry dialogue, leadership and professional development.
Hotelier Maldives Awards 2026 entered its public voting phase on 15 March 2026, with voting set to remain open for one month. Winners will be announced at the gala ceremony on 26 April 2026 at NIVA Kurumba Maldives.
Commenting on the partnership, Ali Naafiz, Editor of Hotelier Maldives, said: “BBM has been a valued partner of Hotelier Maldives Awards since the very beginning, and we are pleased to formalise this continued support through a multi-year agreement. Their decision to return as Title Partner for a third consecutive year reflects not only the strength of our relationship, but also a shared belief in the importance of recognising the people who drive excellence across the Maldives’ hospitality industry.
“BBM has also consistently supported GM Forum over the years, making them one of the most committed partners across our event platforms. We are proud to continue working together as we strengthen both Hotelier Maldives Awards and GM Forum as annual fixtures for the industry.”
AVS Subrahmanyam, Chief Operating Officer of BBM, said: “At BBM, we have always believed that a strong hospitality industry is built by strong people, and Hotelier Maldives Awards provides an important national platform to recognise the professionals whose work often takes place behind the scenes. We are pleased to continue as Title Partner of the awards under this multi-year agreement, while also extending our support to GM Forum for a fourth consecutive year.
“As a company that has grown alongside the Maldives’ hospitality sector, we value opportunities that celebrate talent, encourage professional pride and contribute to the long-term development of the industry. Our continued partnership with Hotelier Maldives reflects that commitment.”
Bestbuy Maldives is one of the country’s leading importers and distributors, serving the hospitality, HORECA and retail sectors with a broad portfolio of international brands. The company positions itself as a partner to the Maldivian hospitality industry, supplying products from around the world across key business verticals including resorts, foodservice and retail.
Hotelier Maldives Awards continues to recognise the contributions of resort-based hospitality professionals across the Maldives, highlighting both individual excellence and team performance. The awards programme remains the country’s only dedicated recognition platform focused on professionals working in resort operations. The current public voting round allows industry stakeholders, colleagues, guests and the wider public to take part in selecting this year’s winners.
The growing list of confirmed partners for Hotelier Maldives Awards 2026 includes Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) as Title Partner, Dhiraagu as Platinum Partner, Storm Events as Organising Partner, NIVA, Kurumba Maldives as Host Partner, Souvenir Marine as Transport Partner, ALIA as Associate Sponsor, and Lightsout Studios as Associate Partner. More partners and sponsors will be announced soon.
Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, has announced the opening of Feydhoo Hall, a landmark event venue at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives, redefining the possibilities for meetings, celebrations, and destination events in the Maldives.
Designed to bring scale, flexibility, and creativity to island gatherings, Feydhoo Hall represents a bold step forward in positioning the Maldives as a dynamic destination for conferences, weddings, and large-scale social occasions.
Feydhoo Hall offers a versatile event complex designed to accommodate a wide range of gatherings, from corporate meetings and conferences to weddings and social celebrations.
At its core is the 390 sqm Main Hall, capable of hosting:
- Up to 300 guests in theatre-style setup
- Up to 240 guests for dining and banquet-style events
- Up to 200 guests for cocktail-style receptions
- Up to 144 guests in cluster-round configuration
Enhancing the flexibility of the venue are additional dedicated spaces, including:
- A 110 sqm Veranda Terrace, ideal for welcome receptions, breakout sessions, and pre-event gatherings, accommodating up to 100 guests for cocktail-style events.
- A spacious 1,000 sqm Lawn Space, perfect for large-scale outdoor celebrations, destination weddings, and open-air events, accommodating up to 400 guests for cocktail receptions and up to 350 guests for dining setups.
- The 55 sqm Ekugai Meeting Room, designed for smaller meetings and executive sessions, accommodating up to 30 guests in theatre or dining setup and 24 guests in cluster-round format.
Together, these integrated spaces create a seamless indoor-outdoor event experience, allowing planners to design dynamic and personalised event journeys.
True to the dusitD2 brand’s lifestyle-driven philosophy, Feydhoo Hall introduces a fresh approach to meetings and events — where productivity meets creativity in an inspiring island setting.
The venue offers flexible meeting formats designed to suit different event needs, including:
- Half-Day Meeting Package (4 hours) — ideal for focused sessions, executive meetings, and creative workshops.
- Full-Day Meeting Package (8 hours) — designed for immersive conferences, extended workshops, and large-scale corporate gatherings.
These thoughtfully structured packages provide planners with the flexibility to create impactful and seamless experiences, whether hosting intimate strategy sessions or dynamic full-day events.
Located just seven minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives combines accessibility with vibrant lifestyle energy, offering event planners and guests a rare balance between convenience and tropical escape.
With the introduction of Feydhoo Hall, the resort strengthens its position as a versatile destination — not only for leisure travellers but also for international conferences, creative retreats, luxury weddings, and large-scale social celebrations seeking something refreshingly different in the Maldives.
Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) opened a new wholesale store in Hulhumalé Phase 2 on Monday.
The outlet is located on the ground floor of Lot 20286, Nirolhu Magu, and is intended to improve access to BBM’s imported goods for residents of Hulhumalé Phase 2 and for businesses operating in the area.
According to the company, the opening forms part of its plan to expand services closer to customers in line with population growth in Hulhumalé.
With the opening of the new store, BBM’s full range of imported and distributed products will be available at the Hulhumalé Phase 2 location. These include consumer goods from international brands such as Lifebuoy, Vaseline and Unilever.
The store will also stock wholesale food products from brands including Daily, Cavin’s and Redman.
BBM has supplied goods to resorts, hotels and retail outlets across the Maldives for several years.
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