Maldives welcomed the first tourist of the Golden Year of Tourism 2022, on Saturday.

It has been 50 years since zealous travelers have been visiting the Maldives which has been drawing in visitors with its picturesque beauty for years. Maldives marks 50 years since the tourism industry’s inception, in 2022, dubbed the golden year of tourism in Maldives and the year’s first visitor was United Kingdom national, Georgina Canning.

Georgina arrived in the Maldives with her partner via Gul Air Flight (GF144) at around 6:10am on Saturday.

The first visitor of the golden jubilee year received a gracious welcome at the Velana International Airport by senior officials from the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), Ministry of Tourism as well as the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) and Maldives Immigration.

MMPRC revealed that this is Georgina’s second visit to the archipelago nation; her first stay being at Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa Maldives in January 2021.

Georgina was gifted a five-night stay at Adaaran Prestige Vaadoo, with a full-board meal plan for two as the first tourist of the year. She was also presented with more gifts by MMPRC, the ministry, MACL, the immigration department as well as Dhiraagu and Koel Eyewear.

Speaking to RaajjeMV, Minister of Tourism, Dr. Abdulla Mausoom revealed that Maldives aims to win the World Leading Destination Award during the golden jubilee year as well and expressed hope to reach newer heights in the tourism success story with the inception of the Home Stay Tourism in Dhiggaru island of Meemu atoll.

Highlighting that the industry faced several hurdles and challenges during 2021, Minister Mausoom stated that the year was a successful year for Maldives tourism despite these challenges.

2021 saw tourist bed capacity having increased to 9.4 percent and the bed nights figure hiking to a record-breaking 11 million.

The minister further noted that Maldives was also crowned the World Leading Destination during the past year.

Minister Mausoom noted that the achievements would not have been possible without the enduring support from industry stakeholders and workers.

Shedding the spotlight on the incumbent administration’s efforts to expand the country’s tourism sector, Dr. Mausoom extended felicitations of the Golden Jubilee Year of Tourism to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and industry stakeholders as well as workers.

Recently, the president directed the use of the logo to celebrate and promote the country’s Golden Jubilee Year of Tourism 2022.

The ministry unveiled the creative logo during March 2021. The logo was unveiled by Chairman of Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI), Mohamed Umar Manik, who played a pivotal role in introducing tourism in the nation.

Designed by Ahmed Nashath and Mohamed Azlif, the Golden Jubilee Year of Maldives Tourism 2022 logo reflects the country’s rich culture, heritage and environment.

Promotional activities launched into the beginning of the concluding year, with the ministry’s social media accounts flooded with video clips featuring messages by senior industry officials as well as industry workers.