Maldives Emerges as a Favourite Summer Destination for UAE Holidaymakers: 2026 Insights 

The Maldives has emerged as the leading international summer destination for UAE travellers, accounting for one in five international hotel bookings this season, according to data from dnata Travel. Thailand, Mauritius, Canada and Australia round out the top five.

International travel is proving more popular than ever, with nine in ten hotel bookings this summer made for overseas destinations. Among them, the signature experience of an island villa in Maldives remains in demand. Travellers are booking an average stay of around five nights, with demand for four- and five-star properties like Coco Bodu Hithi particularly strong, and average booking values up roughly 16% year-on-year.

The Maldives’ appeal is closely tied to its proximity to the Gulf, private island resorts and turquoise waters, positioning it as a high-value, low-density luxury market. Meanwhile, the entry of Canada, Australia, Japan and the US into this year’s top 10 signals UAE travellers’ growing appetite for longer, experience-led holidays further afield.