President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has urged China to reclaim its position as the top source market for tourist arrivals to the Maldives once more.
Speaking at the Invest Maldives forum, President Muizzu highlighted that China was the number one market in the Maldives tourism industry before the COVID-19 pandemic and advocated for the country reclaim the position once more. He highlighted that his administration has made the decision to further develop and diversify the tourism industry in the Maldives. These efforts include the establishment of a school offering world-class training in hospitality and the development of sports, medical and cultural tourism.
The number of tourists from China declined due to the closure of its border in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After three years, tourists from China began visiting the Maldives in 2023. The statistics show that over 187,000 tourists visited from China last year, which is 10% of the total tourist arrivals.