Tourism occupancy rate surged to 71.7 percent in January, marking a substantial increase compared to the preceding month, according to data released by the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA). This rise is particularly noteworthy when juxtaposed with the occupancy rate of 59.5 percent recorded in January 2023, highlighting a significant year-on-year growth.
The central bank’s data showed that the surge in occupancy rates was not uniform across all types of establishments. Tourist resorts, guesthouses, and safari vessels all reported increased occupancy rates. However, hotels witnessed a decline in occupancy in January 2024 compared to December 2023.
Specifically, tourist resorts reported an occupancy rate of 78.7 percent, while guesthouses reported a rate of 64.1 percent in January 2024. These figures represent a significant increase from December 2023, when tourist resorts and guesthouses had occupancy rates of 63.8 percent and 57.2 percent, respectively.
Safari vessels also saw an uptick in occupancy, rising from 19.3 percent in December 2023 to 27.5 percent in January 2024. In contrast, hotels recorded a decrease in occupancy, falling from 39.5 percent in December 2023 to 33.8 percent in January 2024.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, the Maldives welcomed 192,385 tourists in January 2024. At the end of January, the Maldives had 175 tourist resorts, 812 guesthouses, 140 safari vessels, and 15 hotels in operation. These establishments offered a combined bed capacity of 61,518.