Russia becomes the Maldives’ second-largest tourism market as new research identifies opportunities to convert demand into sales

New Yandex Ads white paper, supported by the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry and Visit Maldives Corporation, explores the behaviour of Russian-speaking travellers

Yandex Ads has released a new study of the Russian tourism market, developed with the support of the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) and Visit Maldives Corporation. The white paper examines how Russian-speaking travellers plan their trips, what influences their decisions and how tourism businesses can convert existing demand into bookings.

Russia has become the Maldives’ second-largest inbound market by volume, with 150,000 arrivals in the first half of 2026, up 18% year on year. At the same time, confirmed hotel bookings to the Maldives through Yandex Travel increased by 233%. Search interest remained broadly stable, suggesting that a growing share of existing demand is converting into actual bookings.

A growing market with significant room for conversion

The research shows that the Russian-speaking market is still largely in a discovery phase: 72% of travellers are visiting the Maldives for the first time. The most common traveller is aged 35–44, travelling as a couple, with a typical trip lasting one to two weeks and a budget of $4,000–$6,000.

Demand is predominantly premium-led. 90% of holiday-related searches concern luxury travel, while bookings are concentrated in four- and five-star hotels. At the same time, interest in eco-hotels has increased by 68%, making it the fastest-growing accommodation category.

Travellers are choosing the destination before the hotel

The research identifies a two-stage decision process: 64% of Russian travellers choose an atoll before selecting a specific hotel. While bookings are currently concentrated in Kaafu and Raa, travellers also show substantial interest in Baa, Lhaviyani, South Ari and other atolls.

This creates an opportunity for hotels and destination organisations to capture existing demand by communicating the distinctive characteristics of less-visited atolls rather than competing only for demand already concentrated in the most popular locations.

“What is encouraging in the findings is that Russian travellers’ interest extends beyond the atolls where most bookings currently land. Since many travellers choose the atoll before selecting a hotel, this gives the industry an opportunity to better promote the diversity of the Maldives and the unique character and beauty of each atoll. No two atolls are exactly alike, and it is encouraging to see that recognised in growing interest across the Maldives,” said Rafil Mohamed, Executive Director of the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry.

Demand is becoming less seasonal

Russian demand is no longer concentrated exclusively in the traditional winter period. 55% of travellers prefer winter trips, compared with 45% who choose summer, while hotel bookings in July 2026 increased by 77% year on year. The findings suggest that hotels have an opportunity to build more consistent year-round strategies rather than relying primarily on the winter peak.

The booking journey extends beyond search

The research also highlights the growing role of digital services throughout the travel journey. While search remains important at the discovery stage, 22% of Russian travellers already use AI assistants, primarily to calculate budgets, shortlist hotels and analyse reviews. In addition, 98% of the audience analysed had used at least one Yandex service, with Maps, Yandex GO, Market and Travel among the most frequently used services.

“When entering a new market, businesses need to choose a strategic go-to-market partner that understands the local audience and can support the entire customer journey rather than a single advertising contact. In Russia, a traveller may begin with Yandex Search, examine a hotel’s location in Yandex Maps, compare options in Alice AI, read reviews and then proceed to booking through Yandex Travel. A local strategy therefore cannot be limited to translating a global campaign or maintaining a presence in a single channel,” said Victoria Rossi, Head of Partnerships, Yandex Ads Asia.

The white paper concludes with practical recommendations for hotels, resorts, destination management companies, tour operators and tourism organisations, including planning around confirmed bookings, attracting first-time visitors, promoting less familiar atolls, developing year-round communications and reaching travellers across the wider digital journey.

Methodology

The research combines Yandex Search data, Yandex Travel booking data, Yandex Ads platform data, a survey of 419 Russian travellers who have visited or intend to visit the Maldives, and arrival statistics from the Maldives Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.

Link to the full report: https://ads.yandex/en/maldives-russian-demand-2026