The Maldives has announced an impressive 10.2% year-on-year increase in the total number of UK visitor arrivals in 2018, when compared with 2017.
In total, 114,602 UK tourists arrived in the Indian Ocean destination from January ? December 2018, compared to 103,977 in 2017.
December alone saw 10,784 UK tourist arrivals in the Maldives, representing an increase of 11% when compared to the same month in 2017 when 9,717 UK travellers arrived in the Maldives. The UK represents the second largest European inbound market for tourism to the Maldives and the third largest globally, with holidaymakers from the UK counting for 7.7% of total arrivals to the Maldives in 2018.
Globally, the Maldives welcomed 1.48 million international tourists in 2018, representing a 6.8% year-on-year increase when compared to the total arrivals in 2017.
In 2018, the islands celebrated major infrastructure transformations and new resort openings, including The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort and Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi. This year at least 17 resort openings are planned.
In 2019, the Maldives will also celebrate the opening of CROSSROADS, a combined leisure and entertainment project that will span across nine islands and will become the largest integrated resort in the Indian Ocean.
Commenting on the increase of tourist arrivals, Ali Waheed, the Maldives? Minister of Tourism, said: ?The UK is one of the Maldives? most important inbound markets for tourism, so we are extremely pleased to see a continued increase in the number of British travellers who choose to holiday here. This year, we will welcome the opening of several new exceptional four-star and luxury resorts so we look forward to welcoming even more new and returning UK guests to our islands.?
Visit www.visitmaldives.com to find out more.
