Russia becomes the Maldives' largest tourist market in 2022

In 2022 Russia became the largest source of tourists for the Maldives, overtaking traditional leaders such as China, the United Kingdom and Germany. The shift came after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Western sanctions and the closure of European airspace to Russian airlines made many European holidays hard to reach or unattractive for Russians. Many looked to destinations that kept flights open and did not restrict Russian visitors. The Maldives, an Indian Ocean island nation whose economy depends heavily on tourism, was one of them. Direct flights from Moscow, including those of Russia's flag carrier Aeroflot, continued, and Russian travellers filled resorts and guesthouses.

The trend mattered because tourism is the Maldives' main source of income and foreign currency. Russian arrivals helped the country's tourism sector recover from the pandemic slump. It also tied the island nation's industry to a market under international sanctions, which later raised questions about payments and banking for Russian visitors.