Tourism in the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Seychelles has been hit by the disruption to air travel through the Middle East, as fewer Western tourists transit the Gulf to reach the Indian Ocean islands, Gulf News reported.

The Maldives

Abdulla Yasir, CEO and managing director of Visit Maldives Corporation, told Gulf News that the disruption, which he said began on February 28, had a major effect on the country's tourism. The Maldives had long relied on the Middle East corridor to bring in Western visitors, he said, and the first half of the year was difficult. He said the country was now on a path to recovery.

Arrivals stood at 1.49 million by September, according to a Visit Maldives official cited by Gulf News. Last year the country passed two million arrivals earlier than ever before. It now expects to cross two million again this year but has accepted that its original target of 2.5 million will not be met. Visit Maldives expects the recovery to be complete by the festive season, meaning a return to normal hotel forecasts and not the higher growth target set earlier.

Visit Maldives said the Middle East accounted for just under 6 percent of arrivals as of August, an improvement on earlier in the year. About 30,000 visitors from Gulf Cooperation Council countries had arrived by August, with Saudi Arabia the largest Middle Eastern source market. Yasir described the Gulf as a transit hub for travellers from Europe, Africa and the Americas.

New routes

To reduce its reliance on the Middle East corridor, the Maldives has shifted marketing towards China, Russia and India and is seeking more direct flights. Yasir said Australia had moved into the country's top 10 source markets since direct flights from Melbourne began in June, and that seats on the route are booked until December. Direct services from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore are also part of the strategy, and direct flights from Vietnam are expected to begin in October.

Qatar Airways, which flies 12 times a week to the Maldives, plans to increase to three flights a day, or 21 a week, from October 25. Visit Maldives also expects more seasonal direct flights from Edelweiss, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways during the peak season, which runs from November to February.

Sri Lanka

Nalin Jayasundera, president of the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators, told Gulf News that arrivals fell by about 2 to 3 percent in the first eight months of 2026. He said the fall was concentrated in European markets, where many travellers stop in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Doha, and that the disruption has made some of them hesitant to use those routes. The industry expects the European shortfall to correct gradually by next winter, while Asia-Pacific arrivals continue to grow. Sri Lanka received 2.36 million tourists in 2025 and is targeting three million.

Seychelles

Citing the Seychelles News Agency, Gulf News reported that arrivals for January to July were 197,983, down 11.4 percent from 223,475 a year earlier. Arrivals fell 37.2 percent year on year in March and 28.4 percent in April. July saw a small improvement, with 31,628 visitors, up 1.8 percent. Europe accounted for 64.3 percent of July arrivals and Asia for 21.8 percent.

Outlook

The Maldives has set a target of three million visitors for 2027 and plans a year-long marketing campaign. It has about 67,000 hotel beds, with several international brands due to open by 2028. The new terminal at Velana International Airport has been operating for nearly two years, and the authorities have expanded Hanimaadhoo International Airport.

Gulf News said the pace of recovery will depend on how quickly Gulf aviation connectivity is restored, and on whether travellers and insurers are willing to use those routes.

Source: Gulf News