Maldives has welcomed its 1.8 millionth tourist of the concluding year.

This was the initial tourist arrival target set by the previous government, for the concluding year.

The island nation gave a warm welcome to its 1.8 millionth tourist at Velana International Airport (VIA) on Wednesday.

A. Stefan Mathijs, the 1.8 millionth tourist of the year hails from Netherlands and arrived in the Maldives for holidays with his partner and two kids.

A special ceremony was held at VIA to welcome the 1.8 millionth visitor on Wednesday. Minister of Tourism Ibrahim Faisal, Managing Director of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) Fathimath Thaufeeq, Managing Director of Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) Ibrahim Shareef Mohamed and senior officials from the Maldives Immigration took part in the ceremony.

Speaking to journalists at the ceremony, Tourism Minister Faisal revealed that as the government had later raised the target to 1.9 million, it was difficult to confirm whether this target would be achieved in the next few days.

However, the minister revealed that the arrival figure is to surge to 1,850,000 by the end of the year.

He also announced efforts to boost tourist arrivals for the upcoming year, as well as a goal to achieve the highest number of tourist arrivals Maldives has observed in a single year, during the incumbent administration of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

MMPRC’s MD Fathimath Thaufeeq told media that efforts would be underway to amp up work to expand tourism markets of the island nation. As such, she revealed that even now, MMPRC is conducting research to find new markets, presently.

According to this year’s figures, tourist arrivals have increased by 12.7 percent compared to 2022, with tourists usually staying in the Maldives for an average of seven days.