A new analysis of nearly 12,000 tourists in the Maldives uncovers why some travelers still rely on agencies or phone calls while others go digital. The findings challenge assumptions about how distance, experience, and trip length shape booking choices.
Not everyone has switched to online hotel booking. A large study of 11,861 tourists in the Maldives shows that traditional methods—calling the hotel or using a travel agency—are still common, even as digital reservations grow.
Researchers from Tongji University and the National University of Maldives analyzed booking data and found two main types of travelers. Their work, published in August 2026, shows that the choice between internet, agency, phone, or intermediary depends on more than just convenience. The same trip can lead to different booking decisions depending on who is traveling and why. According to the Ministry of Tourism, the Maldives saw 195,390 international arrivals in August 2026, up 1.7% from the previous year. All booking channels remain in use.
On September 2, 2026, the President of the Maldives ratified the 8th amendment to the GST Act, introducing a tax mechanism for offshore booking platforms and foreign travel agents, and extending the 17% TGST to tourism products sold through offshore channels.
Contradicting the digital myth
It might seem obvious that first-time visitors on short trips would book online. The data tells a different story. Tourists from nearby countries, visiting the Maldives for the first time and staying briefly, often use travel agencies. This is not a strict rule, but a pattern that appears when several traveler traits are considered together. The Maldivian government has recently highlighted the importance of both online and intermediary channels in inbound tourism, as seen in new regulations.
There is another group—also first-timers from nearby countries, but less interested in luxury hotels—who prefer booking online. Two travelers with similar distances and trip lengths can end up choosing different channels, depending on their broader profile. This mix of options is similar to what happens with other travel products, like Imserso trips, which are still sold both through agencies and digital platforms.
The enduring power of the phone
Phone bookings have not disappeared. For long-haul travelers in the first group, calling the hotel is still common, likely because international trips often bring up questions that are easier to resolve by speaking directly. The study does not explore the personal reasons behind each call, but the pattern is clear: distance and uncertainty keep the phone relevant.
Repeat visitors from nearby countries also continue to use the phone. Prior experience with the Maldives does not always push travelers online. For some, the reassurance of direct contact is more important than the convenience of digital forms. The study does not claim that phone bookings are cheaper or safer—only that they remain the choice for certain travelers.
In the text of the 8th GST amendment, the Maldivian government explicitly lists accommodation, food, transport, and other tourism services supplied without a permanent establishment in the country, underscoring the official recognition of the importance of digital and intermediary channels in the tourism sector.
Intermediaries have their own place. Repeat visitors from nearby countries often use them, and tourists traveling for less typical reasons are more likely to book through intermediaries in the second group. This category covers a range of booking platforms, but the research does not compare specific companies or brands.
Why averages hide the truth
The research team used a statistical model called finite mixture multinomial logit (FMMNL) to avoid treating all 11,861 tourists as a single group. By segmenting travelers, they showed that the same trip length or distance can lead to different booking choices depending on the traveler's full profile. No single factor—first-time status, distance, or hotel category—explains the decision by itself. Only by combining these elements do the real patterns appear.
If the researchers had relied on averages, they might have concluded that short stays always favor one channel. Instead, the segmentation shows that context matters: a short trip can mean agency for one traveler and internet for another.
Implications for hotels and the limits of the study
The takeaway for hotels is practical: distribution strategies should match the actual profiles of their guests. A property serving first-time visitors from nearby markets will need a different approach than one focused on repeat customers. The study does not suggest dropping traditional channels. Agencies, the internet, phone, and intermediaries all remain relevant for certain segments.
However, these findings are specific to tourists visiting the Maldives and should not be assumed to apply to Spain or other destinations. The data comes from the Maldives Visitor Survey, an official government source, and was anonymized before analysis. The full peer-reviewed article is available in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications and can be accessed via its permanent DOI.
For the travel industry, the lesson is clear: assumptions about digital dominance often miss the real picture. Booking behavior depends on a mix of distance, experience, and personal preference. Hotels that ignore these details risk missing out on travelers who still want the human touch—or just prefer to hear a voice on the other end of the line.
