Gov't to increase flight frequencies from India, China, and Russia markets, to offset 30% loss in flight operations
Several airlines have pledged to increase flight frequencies to the Maldives, as the government ramps up marketing efforts and prioritizes services for high-end tourists arriving via private jets.
Minister Thoriq (R) and Minister Ameen (L). | President's Office | Presidents office
The government has announced plans to increase flight frequencies from India, China, and Russia to offset a 30% decline in tourist arrivals caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
During a press conference held on Thursday afternoon, Tourism Minister Thoriq Ibrahim emphasized the need for targeted efforts to mitigate the ongoing losses facing the industry. The Minister stated that to recover lost revenue, the government is working to increase flight frequencies from various countries and intensify international marketing campaigns to promote the Maldives.
In response to joint strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, Iranian forces have begun retaliating by targeting American military bases across the Middle East. These developments have effectively triggered a major conflict, escalating into a full-scale war within the region.
Minister Thoriq noted that airlines operating from the Middle East to the Maldives have been significantly impacted. He stated that efforts to mitigate this have resulted in progress toward increasing flight frequencies from China, India, and Russia. However, he did not disclose the current status or specific stage of these negotiations.
The Minister stated that discussions are currently underway to establish Turkish Airlines flight operations to the Maldives. He further noted that marketing efforts for the Maldives will be significantly strengthened starting next month.
Regarding the matter, Transport Minister Ameen stated that Russia’s Aeroflot and India’s Air India have provided assurances that they will double the seat capacity previously allocated for travel to the Maldives.
He also said that Malaysia’s AirAsia is working toward deploying wide-body aircraft for its Maldives operations in the coming days. These aircraft are expected to have a seating capacity of approximately 500 passengers.
Further, UAE-based Etihad Airways is also set to increase its flight frequency to twice daily in the coming days, and, Maldivian is to launch flight operations to Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Minister Ameen noted that despite the suspension of commercial flights by Middle Eastern airlines due to the ongoing conflict, high-net-worth individuals continue to travel to the Maldives via private jets. The Minister emphasized that even under these circumstances, this remains a key segment that the Maldives must continue to market.
"This is a positive trend. Previously, we haven't seen many private jets or high-end tourists arriving during the months following the New Year. However, over the past three or four days, we have observed a significant number of flights arriving in the Maldives," Ameen said.
