The Island Ledger

Insights

The Maldives in numbers

What the official register says today, and what tourism looks like this year. Every number shows where it comes from.

Our register, today

1,124places to stay
31,929rooms in total
5 to 1guesthouses to resorts (830 and 177)
84%are on local islands, where Maldivians live

Places to stay by atoll

  1. Kaafu (Malé Atoll)367
  2. Alif Alif (North Ari)171
  3. Alif Dhaal (South Ari)156
  4. Baa112
  5. Vaavu57
  6. Noonu30
  7. Gnaviyani (Fuvahmulah)27
  8. Raa24
  9. Seenu (Addu)23
  10. Gaafu Alifu22

Ministry of Tourism register, checked every morning · 33% of all places are in Kaafu (Malé Atoll) · 923 have their island name in Dhivehi

Tourism this year

1.8 milliontourist arrivals, January to October 2026; about 3% fewer than the same months of 2025; the government's target for 2026 is 2.5 million

end of October 2026 · Ministry of Tourism data, reported by Hotelier Maldives

37,000tourists sleep here on an average night (6.77 million bed nights in six months); down only 0.3% while arrivals fell 5.7%: visitors stayed longer

first half of 2026 · Ministry of Tourism / MMA figures, as reported

67,302beds in operation, 7.5% more than a year earlier: more choice for travellers

2026 · Tourism capacity figures, as reported

If the Maldives had 100 visitors

  • China 19
  • Russia 15
  • United Kingdom 8
  • India 6
  • Other countries 52

China alone sends almost one visitor in five, and together with Russia a third of everyone who comes. Europe is spread across many countries, which is why "other countries" is the biggest group.

Germany and Italy are fourth and fifth; their exact shares weren't in the report, so they're grouped under other countries here. January to October 2026 · Ministry of Tourism data, reported by Hotelier Maldives

Figures from news reports are replaced with official Ministry of Tourism and Maldives Monetary Authority releases as they come out. Last update 2026-11-07.