Tourist arrivals to Maldives drop 41% amid Middle East airline disruptions

Tourist arrivals to the Maldives declined during the first three days of March as airline operations were affected by airspace restrictions linked to the conflict in the Middle East.

Data based on figures aligned with statistics released by the Ministry of Tourism show a reduction in average daily arrivals compared with February.

In February, the Maldives recorded 247,722 tourist arrivals over 28 days, averaging 8,847 arrivals per day.

Figures for the beginning of March show a lower level of arrivals.

On 1 March, arrivals stood at 6,440, representing a decline of 27.2 per cent compared with February’s daily average. On 2 March, arrivals fell to 4,107, a decrease of 53.6 per cent. On 3 March, arrivals reached 4,988, a decline of 43.6 per cent.

During the first three days of March, the Maldives recorded a total of 15,535 tourists. Based on February’s daily average, arrivals during the same period would have reached approximately 26,541. The difference represents a reduction of 11,006 visitors.

The decline coincides with restrictions on airspace in parts of the Middle East following tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

Airspace closures in the Gulf region have led airlines to suspend or adjust flights. Some aircraft have been rerouted while other services have been cancelled.

Airlines that operate flights to Malé, including Emirates, flydubai, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and Air Arabia, have suspended some services while reviewing operations.

These airlines connect the Maldives with markets in Europe and the Middle East through transit hubs in the Gulf. Disruptions in these routes have affected inbound travel to the Maldives, and several flights scheduled between 1 and 3 March were cancelled.