Tourism Minister Discusses Increasing Tourist Arrivals with High Commissioner of India

Thursday 10th of September 2020

Tourism Minister Discusses Increasing Tourist Arrivals with High Commissioner of India

Over the years, India has prevailed as the second largest source market to Maldives, right after China, that over the years, became Maldives highest tourist market. With the global pandemic that heavily afflicted the tourism industry, the government of Maldives is seeking to find ways to bring life back into the Indian tourism market.

Tourism Minister Abdulla Mausoom met the High Commissioner of India to Maldives H.E. Sunjay Sudhir on 9th September and many issues were discussed including ways to increase tourist arrivals from India, increase networking between Indian Investors and Maldivian small-medium enterprises; and human resource development for the tourism sector.

The popularity of Maldives as a holiday destination among Indians has shown a significant increase in recent years, thanks to the boost in air-connectivity between the two nations. With Maldives, mainly being a stay-in destination and its since long tradition of a one-island-one-resort, it is believed that the Maldives might break out out as the most popular choice among Indians to take their first post-pandemic international break.

Many actions have already been taken to enable tourists visiting the Maldives by establishing an air travel bubble in August; designed primarily to boost tourist arrivals from India, and to facilitate travel for Maldivians seeking medical treatment from India. The total flights operating between Maldives and India will be increased to five flights per week with Air India operating a weekly Delhi-Trivandrum-Male flight, while Indi-Go operates two weekly Kochi-Male’ flights

Meanwhile, Maldivian Airlines is scheduled to launch two weekly Trivandrum-Male’ flights from the coming Thursday. The Indian High Commission, in its statement earlier this week, had said that India hopes that with 5 flights now resuming per week between India and Maldives, regular flow of Indian tourists to the Maldives will resume, demonstrating India’s firm commitment to supporting the Maldivian tourism sector and thereby the economy.

Cover: Ministry of Tourism