Editing Maldives (section)

===Tourism===
{{main|Tourism in the Maldives|Diving in the Maldives|List of mosques in the Maldives}}

[[File:Filitheyo bar.jpg|thumb|left|Filitheyo island beach with tall palm trees and blue fresh lagoons]]

The Maldives remained largely unknown to tourists until the early 1970s. Only 200 islands are home to its 382,751 inhabitants.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Discover the islands |url=https://islands.mv/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190702120755/https://islands.mv/ |archive-date=2 July 2019 |access-date=7 January 2020 |website=islands.mv}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Inhabited islands |url=https://isles.gov.mv/Island/IslandListEn?CategoryId=1 |website=isles.gov.mv |publisher=The President's Office |access-date=26 July 2023 |archive-date=10 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610184632/https://isles.gov.mv/Island/IslandListEn?CategoryId=1 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The other islands are used entirely for economic purposes, of which tourism and agriculture are the most dominant. [[Tourism in the Maldives|Tourism]] accounts for 28% of the GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes.

The development of tourism fostered the overall growth of the [[Economy of the Maldives|country's economy]]. It created direct and indirect employment and income generation opportunities in other related industries. The first tourist resorts were opened in 1972 with Bandos Island Resort and Kurumba Village (the current name is Kurumba Maldives),<ref>{{Cite news |date=13 February 2012 |title=Coup? What coup? Tourists ignore Maldives turmoil |url=https://www.theage.com.au/traveller/inspiration/coup-what-coup-tourists-ignore-maldives-turmoil-20120213-1t0wi.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120215200358/http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-news/coup-what-coup-tourists-ignore-maldives-turmoil-20120213-1t0wi.html |archive-date=15 February 2012 |access-date=26 February 2012 |work=[[The Age]] |location=Melbourne}}</ref> which transformed the Maldives' economy.

[[File:Landaa Giraavaru vue du ciel.JPG|thumb|The [[resort island]] of [[Landaa Giraavaru]] (Baa atoll)]]

According to the [[Ministry of Tourism (Maldives)|Ministry of Tourism]], the emergence of tourism in 1972 transformed the economy, moving rapidly from dependence on fisheries to tourism. In just three and a half decades, the industry became the main source of income. Tourism was also the country's biggest foreign currency earner and the single largest contributor to the GDP. {{As of|2008}}, 89 resorts in the Maldives offered over 17,000 beds and hosted over 600,000 tourists annually.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=http://www.tourism.gov.mv/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417062328/http://www.tourism.gov.mv:80/ |archive-date=17 April 2009 |access-date=3 April 2009 |website=[[Ministry of Tourism (Maldives)|Ministry of Tourism]]}}</ref> In 2019, over 1.7 million visitors came to the islands.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1.7 million tourists visit the Maldives in 2019 |url=https://www.tourism.gov.mv/16009/1-7-million-tourists-visit-the-maldives-in-2019/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114164454/https://www.tourism.gov.mv/16009/1-7-million-tourists-visit-the-maldives-in-2019/ |archive-date=14 January 2021 |access-date=9 January 2020 |website=[[Ministry of Tourism (Maldives)|Ministry of Tourism]]}}</ref>

The number of resorts increased from 2 to 92 between 1972 and 2007. {{As of|2007}}, over 8,380,000 tourists had visited the Maldives.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ހަތުރުވެރިކަމުގެ ތަރައްޤީގެ 35 އަހަރު |trans-title=35 years of tourism |url=http://tourism.gov.mv/pubs/35_years_of_tourism_final.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091122171606/http://www.tourism.gov.mv/pubs/35_years_of_tourism_final.pdf |archive-date=22 November 2009 |access-date=2 April 2013 |website=[[Ministry of Tourism (Maldives)|Ministry of Tourism]] |language=dv}}</ref>

The country has [[List of mosques in the Maldives|six heritage Maldivian coral mosques]] listed as [[UNESCO]] tentative sites.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Coral Stone Mosques of Maldives |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5812 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114164509/https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5812 |archive-date=14 January 2021 |access-date=26 December 2019 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre}}</ref>

====Visitors====
{{see also|#Transportation|Visa policy of Maldives}}

[[File:Maldives Airport-Maldives-Andres Larin.jpg|thumb|left|Sign outside the Velana International Airport]]

Visitors to the Maldives do not need to apply for a visa pre-arrival, regardless of their country of origin, provided they have a passport with at least 1 month validity, a complete [[travel itinerary]] (including return journey confirmed tickets, prepaid confirmed booking at a registered facility,<ref>{{cite web |title=Tourist Facilities |url=https://www.tourism.gov.mv/en/overview/19 |website=tourism.gov.mv |publisher=Ministry of Tourism and Environment, Republic of Maldives |access-date=20 April 2025}}</ref> proof of financial means for sufficient funds to support the stay in Maldives, and entry requirements for their onward destinations—such as visa and passport validity), a Traveller Declaration form (which must be filled out and submitted by all foreigners arriving in the Maldives within 96 hours of the flight), and a Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate, if applicable.<ref>{{Cite web |title=List of Yellow Fever Endemic Countries |url=https://www.immigration.gov.mv/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/YELLOW-FEVER-COUNTRIES-2.pdf |access-date=27 March 2024 |website=Maldives Immigration}}</ref> However, entry is denied to Israeli passports.<ref name="doi">{{Cite web |title=Entry into Maldives |url=https://immigration.gov.mv/tourist-visa/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114164448/https://immigration.gov.mv/tourist-visa/ |archive-date=14 January 2021 |access-date=9 February 2012 |website=Maldives Immigration}}</ref>

Most visitors arrive at [[Velana International Airport]], on [[Hulhulé]] Island, adjacent to the capital Malé. The airport is served by flights to and from [[India]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Doha]], [[Dubai]], [[Abu Dhabi]], [[Singapore]], [[Dhaka]], [[Istanbul]], and major airports in [[Southeast Asia|South-East Asia]] like [[Kuala Lumpur International Airport|Kuala Lumpur International]] in [[Malaysia]], as well as charters from [[Europe]] like [[Charles de Gaulle Airport|Charles De Gaulle]] in [[France]]. [[Gan International Airport|Gan Airport]], on the southern atoll of Addu, also serves an international flight to [[Milan Malpensa Airport|Malpensa]] in [[Milan]] several times a week. [[British Airways]] offers direct flights to the Maldives from [[Heathrow Airport]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Flights to Maldives |url=https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/destinations/maldives/flights-to-maldives |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020220431/https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/destinations/maldives/flights-to-maldives |archive-date=20 October 2022 |access-date=20 October 2022 |website=[[British Airways]]}}</ref>