Maldivian, the national carrier, has launched a seasonal flight service to Shenzhen, China, in a further expansion of its international network and in a strategic effort to bolster China’s role as the island nation’s premier source of tourism. The inaugural flight from Shenzhen arrived at Velana International Airport on Wednesday morning, transporting 146 passengers who received a warm reception upon landing.
The weekly service, set to continue through 21 August, marks the latest addition to Maldivian’s growing schedule in China. It follows the airline’s earlier introduction of routes to Chengdu, Beijing, and Shanghai, which began in January and reflects a sustained push to deepen aviation links between the two countries.
That push has been supported by Maldivian’s acquisition of a wide-body aircraft at the start of the year, expanding the carrier’s capacity for long-haul operations. The purchase fulfilled a key commitment made by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who has identified aviation infrastructure as integral to the nation’s tourism strategy. A second wide-body aircraft is expected to join the fleet later this year.
China continues to dominate the Maldives’ tourist arrival figures. Data from the Ministry of Tourism and Environment show more than 150,000 Chinese nationals have visited the island nation so far this year.
Maldivian has also taken steps to strengthen its commercial footprint across China. The carrier recently entered into a formal partnership with TravelSky Global Distribution System (GDS), a leading Chinese air travel technology provider. The agreement aims to streamline access to Maldivian’s services for travel agents and international partners, making ticket purchasing more efficient and expanding its visibility in the market.