An Indian cruise liner has arrived in the Maldives, carrying a large number of tourists. This is the eighth cruise ship to visit the Maldives this year.
The vessel, MS Nautica, brought 610 tourists and 397 crew members, arriving in the Maldives from the Indian port of Mormugao. The clearance process for the arrivals was completed by the Seaport Division of Maldives Immigration.
The Maldives remains a popular destination for cruise tourism, with frequent visits from international cruise lines. A large number of cruise lines visit the Maldives every year. Last March, luxury cruise line MS Insingnia of Oceania Cruise Company visited the Maldives, bringing approximately 1,000 tourists.
Recognising the sector's importance to the economy, the current administration has intensified efforts to strengthen cruise ship tourism. To facilitate this growth, the government has embarked on developing three specialised harbours across different regions to accommodate cruise ships.
With the government's focus on increasing cruise ship tourism, overall tourist arrivals in the Maldives have continued to rise. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, the nation has welcomed over 856,998 visitors so far this year.