<br><div><aside class="gnt_em gnt_em__fp gnt_em_vp__tp gnt_em__el" aria-label="Video - Best travel destinations in 2024"/><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">With over 1,000 coral islands, the world’s only underwater restaurant and idyllic beaches that inspire desktop backgrounds, the Maldives has many reasons to attract tourists. And they, indeed, make the trek. Last year, a record number of tourists visited the Indian Ocean country. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">With over 1,000 resorts, the Maldives experienced a <a target="_blank" href="https://psmnews.mv/en/131351" data-t-l=":b|e|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" rel="noopener">12% increase</a> in tourist arrivals last year compared to 2022 – the most ever for the atoll nation – totaling over <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tourism.gov.mv/dms/document/72910df2d64ca2cae2eddde7339c5fe1.pdf" data-t-l=":b|e|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" rel="noopener">1.88 million tourists</a>. In 2022, the island nation saw 1.67 million arrivals. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">The most arrivals came from India, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and Germany, according to data from the Ministry of Tourism.</p><figure class="gnt_em gnt_em_img"><img class="gnt_em_img_i" style="height:440px" fetchpriority="high" data-g-r="lazy" src="https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/authoring/images/10BEST/2024/01/06/USAT/72103894007-10BEST-410276-DESTINATION-Ari-Atoll-Beach-Walk---Credit-Maldives-Marketing---Public-Relations-Corporation--MMPRC-Visit-Maldives-.jpeg?width=660&height=440&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp" decoding="async" alt="The Maldives is home to many luxury resorts."/></figure><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">For the island nation, tourism is more than just welcoming new visitors. Tourism is the Maldives’ strongest economic driver, <a target="_blank" href="https://assets-global.website-files.com/6329bc97af73223b575983ac/645a66ebe52a4be8962921b8_Maldives2023_.pdf" data-t-l=":b|e|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" rel="noopener">making up 58.3%</a> of its total economy in 2022, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. Over 70% of jobs in the Maldives are in the tourism industry. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">The warm-weather country targeted 1.8 million tourists for 2023 and <a target="_blank" href="https://visitmaldives.com/en/news/maldives-achieves-highest-ever-tourist-arrivals-with-over-18-million-tourists-in-2023" data-t-l=":b|e|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" rel="noopener">hit that number</a> on Dec. 20, according to a press release by the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation. The country even celebrated with a special ceremony for the Dutch tourist who was the 1.8 millionth visitor. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p"><strong>Learn more:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":body nav (trav)|e|auto spike click:6|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" href="https://www.usatoday.com/money/blueprint/travel-insurance/best-travel-insurance/">Best travel insurance</a></p><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al"/><p class="gnt_ar_b_p"><strong class="gnt_ar_b_al">If you can't make it out of the country:</strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2023/12/17/busiest-crowded-beaches-america/71933544007/" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|spike click:8|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">These are America's 10 most crowded beaches</a></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">“We are immensely proud of this achievement and remain committed to reaching the targets set for our tourism industry for next year as...</p></div> <style> .wrapper { text-align: center; } </style> <div class="wrapper"> <a class="button" href ="https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2024/01/10/maldives-tourism-record-2023/72179436007/">Read more <span>➤</span></a> </div>
