Maldives Promotion House – Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) has released the tourism statistics report for the first quarter of this year.

According to the report a total of 398,689 tourist arrivals were registered from January to May 2012.  This is an increase of 1.7 percent compared to the same period in 2011.  Europe is the market leader for Maldives with 62.9 percent market share.

Central and Eastern Europe recorded a growth of 11.3 percent, Western Europe registered 9.3 percent, East Mediterranean Europe recorded 10.3 percent, North East Asia 8.5 percent, South East Asia 11.5 percent, Oceania 20.8 percent, Americas 8.0 percent, and Middle East 65.0 percent.

However, Southern and Northern Europe, recorded a negative growth of -25.7 and -12.7 percent respectively mainly due to Economic crisis.

The total arrival from the Chinese market by the end of May 2012 is 73,339 which is a 12.6 percent growth. Tour operators also forecast a phenomenal growth in June and July.

About 46,236 arrivals were registered from Germany by the end of May 2012, which is a 19.3 percent positive growth compared to the same period in 2011. Total arrivals from UK by the end of May 2012 registered 39,999 which is a 14.7 percent decrease. By the end of May 2012 Italy recorded a total of 34,943 visitors to Maldives, which is also a decline of 27.1 percent.

By the end of May 2012, the Russian Market registered a total of 30,341 arrivals with a positive growth of 13.9 percent contributing to 7.6 percent to the market share. About 18,430 arrivals were registered from Switzerland by the end of May 2012.  This is a 19.1 percent growth compared to the same period in 2011.  About 9,480 arrivals were registered from Austria from January to May 2012.  This is an 8 percent growth compared to the same period in 2011.

The total arrivals from Japan by the end of May 2012 is 13,023, which is a 1.6 percent decline compared to the same period in 2011. The total arrival from South Korea market for the period of January to May is 8,296 which is a 1.8 percent decline.

By end of May 2012 Maldives recorded a total of 10,822 arrivals from India, which is an 8.4 percent decline compared to same period of 2011. India contributes 2.7 percent of the total market share of the Maldives tourism. From Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, 9,514 arrivals were registered between January to May 2012.  This is an 11.5 percent increase to the same period in 2011.  South East Asian market shares 2.4 percent of the total arrivals to the Maldives.

About 10,126 arrivals were registered from the USA from January to May 2012.  This is an 8 percent increase compared to the same period in 2011.

The first quarter of 2012 Maldives attracted a total of 7,179 arrivals from Middle East market which recorded an unparalleled growth of 65 percent compared to the same period last year.

The total arrival from South Africa market for the period of January to May is 1,382 is a 6.9 percent decrease.

By the end of May 2012 Maldives attracted 2,406 and 1168 from Spain and Portugal respectively. A decrease in outbound travel from Spain to Maldives has been observed by 14.9 percent compared to the same period in 2011. Portugal also registered a negative growth figure of 33.3 percent.

The total arrival from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden for the period January to April is 1,581 and 708 and 1,040, and 2,412 respectively. Denmark and Norway showed a positive growth where as there is a decline in Finland.

The total arrivals from Israel recorded 995 by the end of May 2012 which is a growth of 18.0 percent compared to same period last year. Turkey also recorded a positive growth of 17.4 percent accounting for 1,759 visitors to Maldives.