Flydubai, a state-owned budget airline of the United Arab Emirates, is set to resume flights to the Maldives in October, due to growing demand.

Flight operations will resume on October 27 and four weekly flights will be operated between Maldives capital, Malé City and Dubai.

The flights are scheduled for Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

The budget carrier operates flights to 40 destinations across its network in Africa, Central Asia, Europe, Indian Subcontinent and the Middle East, reports international media.

Due to the looming threat of the ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic in the island nation, Maldives closed its borders for international travel on March 27 and reopened them a little over three months later on July 15. Maldives remains a celebrated destination among keen travelers in the middle east, the country’s top source market for tourism has been the United Arab Emirates.

Emirates and Etihad, two UAE airlines currently operates flights to the island nation.

Last week, Maldives was awarded the ‘Safe Travels Stamp’ by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) in recognition of the government’s efforts in implementing enhance health and safety measures, in line with the WTTC global ‘Safe Travels’ protocol and creating a safe, gradual plan by rebuilding confidence among travelers and ensuring a coordinated approach in restarting the tourism industry.

A recent regulation announced on September 10, mandates visitors to present a negative Covid-19 PCR test to the immigration upon arrival. The industry came to a complete standstill once borders were closed down and the country saw a major reduction in tourist arrivals despite having aimed to break the tourist arrivals record of 2019.

Tourism contributes over a quarter of the country’s GDP and is the source of well over two-thirds of foreign currency to the country. Every other job-creating and revenue-generating activity in the country is either directly or indirectly dependent on the tourism industry.

As part of the government’s lockdown ease plan, resorts and liveaboard vessels were given the green light to resume operations in July, and guesthouses in residential islands outside of the greater Male’ region are scheduled to reopen on October 15.