50 years ago, no one visited this island. It’s one of the most popular places to go these days.
Island the unspoiled splendour of the Maldives is frequently conjured up images of utopia.
Sunlight is reflected so vividly by powdery white sand that it feels as though it is frying your pupils. Fish may be seen swimming beneath the surface of the enticing turquoise water, which is perfectly transparent like a glass aquarium. If you’re lucky, you could even see a young blacktip shark hugging the coastline.
You may find countless films and pictures of the Maldives and its renowned over-the-water bungalows, which place visitors only inches from the ocean, if you spend some time on Instagram or #TravelTikTok. Entire islands are taken over by resorts, giving visitors the seclusion and opulence they crave.
Over the past 50 years, the Maldives have quickly become a prominent vacation destination on people’s bucket lists, and this trend shows no signs of stopping. The World Travel & Tourism Council estimates that 58.3% of the economy is derived from international tourism. (Fishing follows quickly behind.) It is predicted to account for about 60.7% by 2033.
Every year, more visitors than ever before make their way here. With just over 500,000 citizens, the nation welcomed 1.68 million tourists in 2022 and over 1.8 million in 2023.
“The Maldives’ tourism sector has never had a better outlook, and we are optimistic that we can reach this year’s goal of 2 million visitors.