Business
Maldives concludes March with 22 per cent hike in tourist arrivals
Maldives has concluded another high performing month in tourist arrivals, as the number of tourists that visited the Indian Ocean island nation hiked by 22 per cent in March.
Official figures for the month of March released by the tourism ministry show that a total of 162,843 tourists visited the Maldives during the month — a 22 per cent increase over the 133,466 tourists in March 2018.
Growth in Europe, the largest regional source market, contributed to the stellar performance in March, as arrivals increased by 12.2 per cent to reach 92,474 from 82,383.
The UK, which is the single biggest European source market, made a gain of 4.6per cent, whilst several other major European markets such as Italy, France and Switzerland also posted gains of 38.5 per cent, 36.5 per cent and four per cent respectively. Arrivals from Germany, the second largest European source market, also increased by 11.1 per cent, whilst Russian travellers continued to show their appetite for the Maldives as arrival numbers jumped 18 per cent in March to reach 9,282 from 7,867 in March 2018.
Arrivals from Asia, the second largest regional source market, posted positive growth of 35.4 per cent in March.
The Chinese market, which has been showing signs of recovery this year, recorded a 47.5 per cent growth, as arrivals reached 19,479 in March 2018 from 13,203 in March 2018. This strong performance widened the increase in arrivals from the Maldives’ single biggest source market for the January-March period to 5.6 per cent.
However, several major contributors to Maldives tourism from South East Asia, which have been posting strong gains over the past year, posted declines in March, with arrivals from countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and Philippines decreasing by 5.1 per cent, 15.7 per cent, and 43.5 per cent respectively. Arrivals from Singapore, however, increased by 35.6 per cent.
In contrast, growth in South Asia, which has become one of the fastest growing source markets, accelerated by an impressive 97.1 per cent in March. This major gain in the South Asian market is mainly due to an increase of 140.8 per cent in arrivals from India, the Maldives’ closest neighbour.
Relatively new markets such as the Americas and Africa also performed well in March.
Arrivals from the US, which has secured a place amongst the top 10 contributors to Maldives tourism, increased by 62.8 per cent to reach 6,583 last month compared to the 4,043 in March 2018, whilst the number of visitors from Australia also increased by 28.2 per cent. South Africa, which has been on the recovery, also posted an increase of 46.2 per cent.
Middle East, which has proven to be a volatile market, posted a 37.4 per cent growth. Arrivals from almost all major Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates posted negative growth of 59.5 per cent, 36.2 per cent, 7 per cent, 118.6 per cent and 11.3 per cent respectively.
According to the March statistics, total arrivals for the first three months of the year increased by 15 per cent to reach 482,978 compared to the 420,103 in the same period of last year.
Tourist demographics remained largely unchanged in the first three months of the year, as Europe dominated with a marketshare of 56 per cent of the total tourist arrivals, followed by Asia Pacific with 35 per cent marketshare. Americas secured the third position with five per cent marketshare, whilst Middle East slid to the fourth with three per cent marketshare. African countries also contributed one per cent to the total tourist arrivals to the Maldives.
All the top 10 source markets posted positive growth in arrivals by the end of March.
China (15.9 per cent marketshare), Italy (10.9 per cent marketshare), Germany (7.7 per cent marketshare), the UK (7.5 per cent marketshare) and India (7.5 per cent marketshare) secured the first, second, third, fourth and fifth position, respectively. France contributed 5.5 per cent to the total arrivals and posted a growth of 28 per cent to secure the sixth place, whilst Russia (5.4 per cent marketshare), the US (3.4 per cent marketshare) and Japan (2.3 per cent marketshare) followed on the seventh, eighth and ninth position, respectively. Although growth in the Swedish market declined by 1.1 per cent, Swedish visitors accounted to 2.2 per cent of total arrivals making it the 10th biggest source market to Maldives tourism.
Maldives welcomed a record 1.4 million tourists in 2018. It was a 6.8 per cent increase from the 1,389,542 tourists that chose to holiday in the Maldives in 2017.
Other factors such as average duration of stay, bed nights and occupancy also posted positive growth in 2018.
This positive growth in the tourism industry comes amidst concerns by private organisations representing industry stakeholders such as the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) over the lack of effort and budget to promote the Maldives as a destination.
These concerns come as the world-famous holiday destination struggles to match an increased bed capacity.
Over the past few 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 more than 130. That number is set to increase as another 20 resorts are expected to open 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 500 guesthouses in operation today.
The previous government announced 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.
Meanwhile, the new government has pledged to ramp up tourism promotion.
Reflecting the new government’s pledge, the state budget for 2019 includes MVR 104,200,000 (USD 6.7 million) for tourism promotion, up from MVR 34,733,333 (USD 2.2 million) this year and the previous year.
Since 1990, Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) has been at the core of the Maldives’ hospitality supply chain. More than a distributor, BBM has become a trusted partner in shaping talent, raising standards, and building long-term capacity across the industry.
That commitment continues in 2025 through its title sponsorship of the Hotelier Maldives Awards, and its growing investment in culinary development and cross-industry collaboration.
Supporting the Ecosystem, Not Just the Event
BBM is the preferred partner for over 60 international brands. However, its true value lies in how it supports the people behind the brands. From chefs and service staff to back-of-house professionals, BBM works across the sector to create real impact.
This year, the Hotelier Maldives Awards 2025 expands its recognition with four new categories:
- Watersports Personality of the Year
- Diving Personality of the Year
- Airport Representative of the Year
- Resort Manager of the Year
These additions reflect a simple belief. Everyone who shapes the guest experience deserves to be seen. Not just the visible few. Everyone.
Hotel Asia and the Rise of Culinary Confidence
For more than two decades, BBM has served as the main sponsor of the Hotel Asia Exhibition and International Culinary Challenge, endorsed by the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS).
This platform has consistently raised the bar by bringing over 25 WACS A-Grade international jurors to the Maldives each year. Through this effort, local chefs get to test their skills on a global scale.
To further encourage excellence, BBM launched the Chairman’s Trophy, awarded annually to the most promising Maldivian chef:
- 2023 — Chef Mohamed Adhil
- 2024 — Chef Ahmed Mazim
Each name marks a growing movement. Maldivian chefs no longer compete to participate. They compete to win.
Backing Global Exposure for Local Talent
BBM has directly sponsored Maldivian chefs to represent the country at global events, including:
- HOFEX 2017 in Hong Kong, where Chef Ahmed Fatheen and Chef Ismail Naseer earned silver
- La Sial 2018 in Abu Dhabi, where Chef Mohamed Adhil won both gold and silver
- FHA 2018 in Singapore, supporting emerging talent
- Asian Pastry Cup 2018, where Chef Aminath Hameed was recognized as a pioneering female chef
- Chinese Cuisine World Championship 2019, where Chef Ahmed Mazim won bronze
- World Chefs Congress and Expo 2022, where BBM sponsored six MNU students under its Building Young Talent initiative
Creating Spaces for Knowledge Transfer
Beyond competitions, BBM hosts world-class chefs to lead pro bono Masterclasses, including:
- Chef Bruno Ménard, holder of three Michelin stars
- Chef Edwin Leow, gold medalist at the IKA Culinary Olympics
These sessions are designed to be open, practical, and rooted in the everyday reality of resort kitchens.
Recognition with Purpose
BBM’s sponsorship of the Hotelier Maldives Awards 2025 is part of a larger support system. These awards are not marketing. They are memories. They capture the faces, names, and efforts of those who make the Maldives one of the most admired hospitality destinations in the world.
“When people are seen, they rise,” said Ali Afrah Hassan, Head of HR, Admin, and Corporate Affairs at BBM. “This platform is our way of saying you matter. Not just once a year, but every day you show up to serve.”
Whether through product support, recognition, training, or infrastructure, BBM is building something larger than supply chains. It is helping shape the culture of Maldivian hospitality.
BBM’s exclusive Dreidoppel Demo Tour, led by Master Pâtissier Frankie Robin, concluded successfully on Apr 30th, after a 10-day pastry training series across 15 leading Maldivian resorts that requested the training. Two city bakeries were also trained on the 30th. The initiative brought together global expertise and a strong commitment to raising pastry standards in the local hospitality industry.
This year’s sessions focused on practical pastry solutions using Dreidoppel’s premium ingredient range to create Panettone, Dubai chocolate brownies, Mousses, Crème Brûlée, Fill & Gloss applications, and Caramel Chocolate Snacks.
A standout feature of the tour was the passion shown by young chefs across the islands.
Chef Frankie Robin remarked, “What truly impressed me was how prepared and passionate the young chefs were. Their eagerness to learn, experiment, and take their skills to world-class standards made every session an absolute joy.”
Grounded in real kitchen challenges—speed, flavour, and efficiency—Chef Frankie’s demos showcased how smart ingredient choices can drive both creativity and performance.
A.V.S. Subrahmanyam, Chief Operating Officer at BBM, added, “At BBM, we believe in more than just supplying ingredients—we are committed to the professional growth of the industry. Collaborations like this empower culinary teams with global techniques and greater confidence.”
The tour reflects BBM’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the Maldivian foodservice industry through knowledge-sharing and access to world-class products.
Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) extended their strong and decades old partnership with Unilever International, by adding to their brand portfolio – Vaseline, Hellmann’s, and BRU Coffee for the Maldivian market.
The collaboration was announced at a Business gathering held at the Manhattan Business Hotel, attended by over 300 trade partners from across Maldives.
With this partnership, BBM strengthens its retail offerings across the Maldives archipelago. Vaseline, a trusted name in skincare, and Hellmann’s, known globally for quality food products, will now be available through BBM’s distribution network.
“Vaseline is a name that generations trust for skin care. And Hellmann’s is a global icon in flavours. We’re proud to bring both to shelves across the Maldives and enrich everyday living for our customers,” said Muksith Hussain, Business Head – Retail.
In the hospitality sector, BBM introduces Bru Coffee as an addition to its HORECA (Hotel, Restaurant, Café) offerings. BRU Coffee provides a quality beverage option for hotels, resorts, and restaurants across the Maldives.
“BRU is one of the most loved coffee brands in the region. With this launch, we’re giving our hospitality partners a versatile product that delivers on both taste and reliability that can be consumed as a beverage and for the purpose of dessert preparation, something they can serve with confidence,” said Hisham Girsy, Business Head – HORECA.
The gathering served as a platform for BBM to engage with its valued trade partners and introduce these new brands to the market.
A.V.S Subrahmanyam, Chief Operating Officer at BBM, remarked: “BBM is built on relationships. This event reflects our commitment to not just introduce great products but to support, connect, and elevate our trade partners. We’re in this together, and the journey ahead is promising.”
As BBM continues to grow its portfolio and global partnerships, the focus remains clear delivering excellence, building trust, and shaping the future of trade in the Maldives.
Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) is a leading distribution company in the Maldives, connecting international brands with local businesses across retail and hospitality sectors. With a customer-focused approach and extensive distribution network, BBM continues to be a trusted partner in the Maldivian market.
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