Ministry of Tourism has revealed that the number of tourist arrivals to the Maldives is expected to increase significantly after the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Referring to information shared by the tourism sector, Minister of Tourism Dr. Abdulla Mausoom said that many of the country's top resorts are already operating at full capacity. He also said that the number of tourist arrivals to other tourism facilities is also increasing.
Additionally, Minister Mausoom said that the target is to attract 1.6 million tourists by the end of the year, adding the target will be reached by next week. He also noted that the tourism industry is also working hard to achieve the goal. Over 1.5 million tourists have visited the Maldives so far this year, according to the latest statistics published by the tourism ministry.
Regarding the number of tourist arrivals, Maldivian tour operators said they have booked a large number of tourists to arrive after the World Cup. They said that the number of tourists coming to Sri Lanka is increasing day by day and the occupancy of the resorts is currently between 70-80%.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Capital Travel and Tours Private Limited Yoosuf Riffath said that 1.7 million tourists are expected to arrive in the Maldives by the end of the year. He said China is also expected to open its borders by the middle of next month, noting that the country is a major tourism market and would benefit the tourism industry in the Maldives.
Every year, a large number of tourists visit the Maldives at the end of the year. However, a large number of people have travelled to Qatar for the World Cup. The number of holidaymakers around the world has also declined as more individuals spend time watching the World Cup this year.