The Maldives is seeking to strengthen its presence in the Belarusian tourism market ahead of the planned launch of direct flights between the two countries by Belavia Air in December.
Visit Maldives Corporation (VMC), in collaboration with Belavia Air, held a Maldives–Belarus Connectivity Webinar on 10 September, bringing together 100 Belarusian travel trade representatives and Maldivian tourism industry partners.
The webinar was aimed at increasing awareness of the Maldives among Belarusian travellers and familiarising travel agents and tour operators with the new direct air connectivity.
Representatives from six Maldivian tourism establishments, including four resorts, a destination management company and a guest house, took part in the session. They presented their accommodation options, tourism products and experiences to the Belarusian travel trade.
Belavia Air also provided information on its planned direct flights between Belarus and the Maldives, including details of the upcoming connectivity and flight operations.
The session also examined the Belarusian travel market, including travel patterns, existing air accessibility and opportunities to increase demand for the Maldives.
During a question-and-answer session, participants discussed a range of topics, including local island tourism, affordable luxury, international and domestic air connectivity, tourism taxes and the Maldives' wider tourism offering.
Belarus is an emerging source market for the Maldives, with 7,443 Belarusian tourists visiting the country in 2025.
A total of 3,257 Belarusian arrivals were recorded between January and June 2026, accounting for 0.4% of total tourist arrivals to the Maldives during the period.
The number of Belarusian visitors has risen steadily in recent years, increasing from 4,080 in 2022 to 5,740 in 2023 and 6,810 in 2024, before reaching 7,443 in 2025.
Belarus recorded 736,400 outbound trips, with Türkiye, Egypt, Italy, Georgia and the United Arab Emirates among the leading destinations. The country's main travel periods are the fourth quarter of the year and the first quarter of the following year.
At present, Belarusian travellers can reach the Maldives through connecting services operated by airlines including Aeroflot, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines and Air Astana.
The introduction of direct Belavia flights is expected to improve access to the Maldives and provide tourism businesses with greater opportunities to target the Belarusian market.
The webinar was conducted in partnership with Belavia Air, the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation and Maldives Airports Company Limited as part of Visit Maldives' wider efforts to engage international travel markets and support tourism demand.