The Maldives has marked a major milestone today with the arrival of the two millionth tourist of 2025, reaching this landmark earlier than any previous year. The visitor, Bethany Sarah Kerswell, a 30-year-old from England, arrived at Velana International Airport on the morning of 27th November, where a special ceremony was held to commemorate the milestone. This is her first visit to the Maldives, and she arrived for her honeymoon, with plans to spend her stay at Outrigger Maafushivaru.
The earliest-ever crossing of the two million mark reflects the strong performance of the tourism sector throughout the year. It also places the Maldives firmly on track to reach the national target of 2.3 million visitors by the end of 2025.
The ceremony took place at the airport waterfront area and brought together representatives from the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, Visit Maldives Corporation, Maldives Airports Company Limited, Maldives Immigration, Maldives Customs Service, government agencies, industry partners, NGOs, and media. The visitor received commemorative gifts and a holiday voucher from the Minister of Tourism and representatives of VMC, MACL, Customs, Immigration, and event sponsors.
This year’s achievement follows the record-breaking performance of 2024, when the Maldives reached two million tourist arrivals on 26 December. Reaching the same milestone a full month earlier in 2025 demonstrates strong growth across key markets and the impact of a focused global marketing strategy.
Visit Maldives Corporation highlighted the major activities and campaigns that supported this year’s performance. These included high-impact destination marketing at ITB Berlin, ATM Dubai, and WTM London, as well as sustained outreach in the top five markets of China, Russia, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Germany.
Digital visibility increased through the global partnership with Liverpool FC, which reached millions of fans worldwide. Joint campaigns with tour operators and airlines strengthened sales pipelines, while targeted consumer and trade activities maintained demand throughout the year. Roadshows, media familiarisation trips, trade fairs, and the Visit Maldives Week series contributed to strong engagement with travel agents and partners across multiple regions.
With 2025 marking the fastest achievement of this milestone, Visit Maldives Corporation acknowledged the collective effort of government agencies, industry stakeholders, and global travel trade partners. Their continued collaboration has supported market confidence and reinforced the Maldives as one of the world’s most recognised island destinations.
As the year progresses, the Maldives remains focused on sustaining momentum and maintaining its position in global rankings while preparing for anticipated year-end travel peaks.