Maldives arrivals drop 6% as jet fuel prices climb 42% through May

Why Maldives arrivals are down 6%

Tourist arrivals to the Maldives dropped 6% year-on-year through mid-May, with the Ministry of Tourism logging 851,483 visitors compared to 908,542 in the same period last year. The ministry attributes the slide to Middle East airspace closures and a sharp jump in jet fuel costs that began squeezing flights to Malé in late February.

Maldives Airports Company Limited raised jet fuel prices roughly 42% in March, from $1.19 to $1.69 per litre. Gulf carriers including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad, FlyDubai, Gulf Air and Air Arabia cancelled or thinned services to Malé and Visit Maldives Corporation has warned booked arrivals could fall as much as 35% from markets reliant on Gulf hubs.

Who feels the squeeze

Travelers connecting through the UAE, Qatar or other Middle Eastern gateways face the steepest disruption. One government tally counted more than 4,900 tourists affected by 20 cancelled flights over a two-day stretch after the airspace closures took effect Feb. 28.

Fuel surcharges are already embedded in fares. Air India added surcharges ranging from $4.35 on regional routes to about $200 on long-haul sectors. Hong Kong Airlines and Thai Airways pushed fares up 10% to 15% on some Maldives itineraries and national carrier Maldivian has raised tourist ticket prices to absorb the higher fuel costs.

Expats relying on Gulf connections for home leave face the same cost hit. Digital nomads get a partial offset: officials are developing a Remote Working Visa and Content Creator Visa aimed at longer stays, alongside easier extensions of the standard 30-day visa-on-arrival.

What stranded travelers can do

Tourist visas will be extended for visitors stranded by conflict-related flight cancellations since Feb. 28. Affected travelers must file extension requests through the official Imuga portal run by Maldives Immigration to avoid overstay penalties.

Velana International Airport is running a 24/7 disruption management centre with information desks, rest areas and accommodation help. The Ministry of Tourism has asked resorts to verify airline schedules before transferring guests and travelers booking now should price routings that avoid Gulf hubs and check for added visa updates before departure.

Read our full Maldives guide for the complete picture.