Three airlines, including one from the Middle East, are gearing up for their Maldives route operations according to Mohamed Firaq, owner of Inner Maldives and local aviation expert.
FIraq’s statement comes amid ongoing Middle East war that the US and Israel launched on Iran, which has now turned over two months long. Maldives tourist arrivals showed visible dent in light of the conflict, as month-on-month slipped in 2026 in comparison to the same period last year.
Numbers from the Ministry of Tourism provides proof of this reality, as it posted a monthly tourist arrival total capping at 216,309 in March this year, which plunged to 207,707 in April. This dip should not be attributable to the Middle East conflict alone as the tropical island nation’s hot season, which runs from October to March generally, goes through a transitional period in April, before the wet season begins from May onwards.
What to Expect in Maldives Tourist Arrivals Scene
According to Firaq, who said it in a social media post, three airlines will begin their Maldives operations ahead of the 2026 winter season. The airlines, as per Firaq, will commence operations post administrative and other procedural completion.
Despite claiming three airlines are gearing for their Maldives operations he did not speak further on this. However, he confirmed that while one airline is from the Middle East, the other two originates from Asia.
The news of a new Middle East-origin airline preparing to begin their Maldives operations brings glad tidings since majority of the tourist influx tracks through this route. The region observes heavy transits, and some of the busiest airlines responsible for connecting several major western cities with eastern tourism destinations. However, following the US-Israel led strike on Iran, global aviation slowed down noticeably.
Moreover, most Middle Eastern airlines slowed their operations while some of them temporarily halted their flights.
Can the Maldives Achieve its Annual Tourism Target?
The Maldives has been riding high on a consecutive winning streak in terms of tourist arrivals since the Covid-19 pandemic. Following travel resumption in 2021, tourist arrivals continued to jump year-on-year. This figure saw its peak in 2025 as the annual tourist arrivals penetrated the 2 million per annum mark.
Following this win, the Maldives government announced bigger ambitions for 2026, vying to attract 2.5 million annual arrivals.
While this possibility remains in heavy questions, Firaq claims the country will not backtrack on its tourism ambitions. The tourism industry entrepreneur expressed confidence on the tourism industry’s trajectory.
Firaq’s confidence is also proven to carry weight as private jet arrivals to the Maldives picked up pace following the Middle East conflict.