Minister of Tourism Dr. Abdulla Mausoom has stated over 100,000 tourist arrivals are expected to be recorded in the remaining months of the year.
Speaking at the webinar series titled Destination Insight: Maldives, organized by Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the BBC, Tourism Minister Mausoom said the tourism industry is making steady progress in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the many challenges and obstacles faced in the way. In this regard, the minister said the number of tourist arrivals has been increasing day by day, noting the daily number of tourist arrivals had reached 1,000 last week. He also noted the duration of stay has increased following the pandemic, with tourists now spending an average of two weeks in the Maldives as compared to the average of one week recorded prior to the pandemic.
The tourism minister further stated several airlines have resumed operations to the Maldives, while several more airlines are scheduled to resume operations in the coming months. The minister noted some of the international flights are in high demand already, with airlines discussing an increase in the frequency of operations accordingly. He said the ministry expects to record another 100,000 tourist arrivals in the remaining months of the year.
The Destination Insight webinar was attended by several stakeholders of the tourism industry, including Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) and Hotel Jen. During the webinar, stakeholders discussed the current situation of the tourism industry in the Maldives and the efforts undertaken to overcome the difficulties and challenges faced by the industry.