As nations around the world prepare to welcome tourists, the Maldives managed to attract more than 100,000 travelers for the fourth month of this year since opening its borders.

With a total of 102,745 arrivals in September, the island nation has managed to attract 858,711 travelers so far this year.

The number of arrivals is not only improving month over month, but has also surpassed numbers recorded in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

Arrivals in September 2021 represent a 2.5% increase over arrivals recorded in September 2019, according to statistics from the Maldives Ministry of Tourism.

However, it was August that broke the monthly records for arrivals, with the country attracting a total of 143,599 tourists.

Of the total number of arrivals recorded so far this year, 92,103 tourist arrivals were recorded in January and 96,882 visitors were received in February.

Arrivals in March were 109,585, making it the second highest figure recorded so far in 2021. In April, the Maldives received 91,200 arrivals, followed by 64,613 visitors in May.

The number fell to 56,166 in the month that followed, which the Tourism Ministry attributed to restrictions and precautionary measures implemented in the face of the worsening COVID-19 situation as a fourth vague and more infectious was confirmed in early May. In July, 101,818 visitors entered the country.

The Maldives is nearing its tourist arrival target of 1.3 million for the year and its tourism ministry has revealed that the neighboring Indian giant remains the main source market for tourism, contributing 22.9% of the total number. arrivals.

In the first months of the year, Russia dominated the Maldives’ tourist markets when arrivals from India declined, following travel restrictions imposed on visitors from South Asia in May.

With India in first place as a major source market, Russia ranks second with 19.8% of total arrivals, followed by Germany with 6.1% of total arrivals.

The United States, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Spain, United Kingdom, Kazakhstan, and France are also considered the largest tourist markets in the Maldives.

The Maldives currently has 883 operational tourist accommodation establishments, of which 573 are guesthouses, 156 are resorts, 144 are cruise ships and the other 10 are hotels.