Gulf Tourists Fuel 60% Surge in Maldives Luxury Resort Bookings

Currently several luxury resorts in the Maldives have observed a phenomenal upward trend in tourism from the gulf countries with some sources even indicating that bookings to the country has risen up to sixty percent above the tourist arrival figures of the previous year. It has especially been greatly influenced by high-end visitors from Saudi Arabia and the UAE reinventing the hospitality industry in the Maldives.

Huge increases were cited in the bookings for the luxury resort group The Residences and 60% increase in the Gulf region and similar increased trend reported by comparable properties. Atmosphere Core’s Chief Commercial Officer stated that the company has seen many tourists from Saudi and UAE contributing a major share in their revenue. Maldives’ advantage is that it is very close to Dubai, it takes only 4 hours to get there.

The distance and the unique target of travelling GCC tourists has shifted the trend and increased the length of stay to over a week in many cases. This segment is demanding customized offerings such as private villas, unique experiences and product portfolio that offers all inclusive experiences to this set of guests. We have observed that through the year-round bookings the negative effects of seasonal variations are less apparent and hence Maldives is a suitable tourism destination throughout the year.

Nonetheless, sustainable options are not neglected even though the companies are now targeting the higher segments of the population. For example, THE OZEN COLLECTION has installed solar energy to its resorts as part of efforts to minimize on carbon emissions. By May of 2024, the company reported that 8,890 solar panels have been installed in seven resorts to generate 16,500MWh of renewable energy.

As for today, the tourism sector of the Maldives remains to be a strongly developing segment with more than 1 million tourists per year, among which 38 646 are the Middle East countries’ tourists. As domestic tourists from the gulf region continue to shape the demand for ultra-luxurious experiences, Maldives is strengthening its market positioning as an elite destination while catering to the segment in a manner which does not compromise the ecology of the islands.