The first two months of the year seems to have proved the cynics wrong, perhaps. It appears Maldives tourist arrival numbers are in the rise, in fact record-breaking, as Authorities declare.

Some contributing factors to this positive outcome involves, emerging markets, slight increase in the total bed capacity, additional airlines, number of cruise ship movements across the country, the hard work of business community and of course the upward economic curve of some key feeder markets.

I guess it is too early to sit back and brag, but in thirty days from now we should be able to draw a better picture, as we complete the first quarter of this year. The first quarter of 2009 recorded an occupancy decline of 11.2% compared to that of 2008. A similar approach was registered in the area of RevPAR and seems to set a trend as competition increases and marketing gets tough.

Here is how the authorities have mapped the past and future of Maldives tourist arrivals for us:

I am hoping this year we should be able to show growth and beat the odds not only in bed occupancy but in generated revenues too.