The Maldives government has announced plans to intensify international marketing efforts to cushion the tourism sector from disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The announcement was made by Thoriq Ibrahim, Minister of Tourism and Environment, during a press briefing held by a Special Cabinet Committee formed by President Mohamed Muizzu to assess the potential economic consequences of the crisis.
According to Minister Thoriq, early feedback from tourism stakeholders indicates that most booking cancellations have been concentrated in March and April. However, industry data suggests that reservations are already picking up again for travel after April.
Officials say the sector is now working to minimise losses during the two affected months while maintaining overall visitor confidence in the destination.
“We are working closely with the industry to recover from the decline during these two months,” the minister said. “Many resorts have introduced flexible rebooking policies without additional charges, which has encouraged tourists to reschedule their visits rather than cancel entirely.”
To support the recovery, the government plans to launch targeted promotional campaigns in several key tourism markets. The effort will be carried out in coordination with Maldivian embassies abroad.
Minister Thoriq said the campaigns are expected to begin early next month, focusing particularly on high-volume markets such as India, China and Russia.
The aim, he noted, is to maintain strong visitor flows despite disruptions to global travel routes.
The conflict in the Middle East, which escalated on 28 February, has resulted in the closure of several regional airspaces. As the region serves as a major transit hub for flights to the Maldives, the restrictions have led to cancellations and rerouting of some flights.
Government data indicates that approximately 30 percent of travellers arriving in the Maldives typically transit through Middle Eastern hubs. This equates to around 3,000 visitors per day, according to figures from the Ministry of Tourism and Environment.
Tourism remains the cornerstone of the Maldivian economy, making the sector particularly sensitive to global travel disruptions.
Authorities say the combination of flexible booking policies and renewed marketing efforts is intended to sustain tourist arrivals while ensuring the Maldives remains competitive and visible in key
