The Maldives has welcomed more than 1.2 million tourists so far this year, with China, Russia and the United Kingdom remaining the top source markets.

Latest figures from the Ministry of Tourism show that 1,229,419 tourists visited the Maldives so far this year, compared to 1,287,850 tourists during the same period last year, representing a 4.5 percent decline.

In July alone, 159,537 tourists arrived in the Maldives, slightly lower than the 161,766 arrivals recorded during the same period last year.

The decline in arrivals compared to last year has been attributed to the temporary suspension of flights by several airlines amid the conflict in the Middle East. However, tourist arrivals have started to recover as suspended flight operations resume. The Maldives is currently receiving an average of 5,911 tourists per day.

China remains the largest tourism market for the Maldives this year, with 210,109 arrivals, followed by Russia with 175,814 tourists. The United Kingdom ranked third with 96,179 visitors, while Italy and Germany also remained among the leading markets.

A total of 1,213,842 tourists arrived in the Maldives by air so far this year. Velana International Airport received the majority of arrivals with 1,199,442 tourists, while Gan International Airport recorded 4,475 arrivals.

The Maldives recorded 2.2 million tourist arrivals last year, and the Government has said efforts are ongoing to maintain the growth of the tourism sector, with the Tourism Ministry expressing confidence that arrivals will remain strong this year.