904 tourists arrive in Maldives within first 10 days of border reopening
25 ޖުލައި 2020 | ހޮނިހިރު 09:56While Maldives halted issuing on-arrival visas on March 27, borders were reopened on July 15
Maldives\' borders were reopened on July 15
Over 900 tourists have arrived in the Maldives since border reopening.
While Maldives’ borders were reopened for international travel on July 15 after months of closure following the Covid-19 pandemic, a total of 904 visitors arrived by July 24.
Most of the visitors are from the United Kingdom (117 visitors) with the United States at a close second with 106 visitors.
Other nations in the top 10 arrival list include Germany (73), as well as 45 each from Switzerland and Russia. Further, there have been 35 visitors from the Philippines, 31 each from United Arab Emirates and Spain, as well as 30 from Hungary and 23 visitors from Egypt.
368 visitors arrived from other nations, according to the Maldives Immigration.
While the first flight that landed at Velana International Airport (VIA) following border reopening was a Qatar Airways flight, over 100 tourists arrived via the flight.
Flights of Etihad Airways and Emirates have since landed at VIA as well, while Sri Lankan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Gulf Air, IndiGo Airline and British Airways have flights scheduled to the island nation.
Further, Edelweiss Air will begin flights to Maldives in September while Turkish Airlines will resume from October.
Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) had previously announced the decision to provide discounts to flights travelling to the country, from 15 July to 26 March 2021.
As such, airlines operating flights until end of August will not be charged at all, while those that are to begin flight operations between 1 September to 27 October will receive a 75 percent discount. Further, airlines that begin operations after 28 October will be given a 50 percent discount on charges.
Maldives Civil Aviation Authority recently publicized the safety guidelines to be followed by airlines operating flights to the country.
Maldives welcomed a record breaking 1,7 million tourist arrivals in 2019, and a two million target was made for 2020. However, following the pandemic, this has been reduced to 850,000 visitors.
